Phobia: Stainless Steel
by Delorean7
Summary: Sequel to 'Phobia'. Set 1 year after the events of 'Phobia' and 7 months after the events of 'Batman: Arkham City'. Arkham City Rebuilt, Serial Killers on the loose, Phobia and Raven are in for trouble.
1. Enter Stainless

**A/N: ! It's time for the moment you've all been waiting for, the sequel to 'Phobia'. If you've just started reading this, then you'd probably want to read 'Phobia' first, then this. That way it'll all make sense. But first, I'd like to say thanks to 'TheShapeshifter100' for her description of the enemies described in this sequel. I'll leave you a link to her deviantART page at the end of this chapter. Well guys, read on. **

**WARNING: This is set 1 year after the events of 'Phobia' and 7 months after the events of 'Batman: Arkham City'. And before you ask, I know there's already a DLC about Harley trying to get revenge, but I had this idea before it had even been released. So, this is my own interpretation of what might've happened after Joker died.**

I don't know what hurt more, the force of the explosion or the pain from the bullet wound. Either way, I'd die eventually. As my vision became blurry and the G-forces caused my ears to ring, I couldn't help but think about what would happen after this. How would my friends react when they found out my true identity? How would my mom react? But more importantly, how would they react when they found out that I was dead? Would they be shocked? Would they cry? Clea would cry. I'd do the same if she were being put six feet under. I doubt Charlotte would cry though. She'd probably wait till after the funeral, then, when everybody was gone, she'd let the tears go. She hates it when people see her cry; it kind of makes her embarrassed. Well, at least I've died doing what I love: helping in any way I can. If only...oh...so it IS true. In those moments before you die, your life DOES flash before your eyes. I can see it all now, my childhood, all those times Doug pushed me around, my first kiss with Clea...every single person I saved as Phobia. Now I'm coming to the present day, I'm seeing the moments that led up to this, the choices I made, the things I did, but it all ends the same way: Plummeting towards my death from the viewing platform of the burning tower behind me. But I shouldn't worry, any second now, the pain will be over. But it's taking too long, please, I want the pain to stop. Please, just make it stop.

_**- 5 Days Earlier**_

**Extract taken from Arkham City progress report, dating back to one week after grand re-opening of Arkham City;**

**Dear Mr. Gordon**

**Since my recent inspection of Arkham City, I think it's fair to say that you have made some quite outstanding improvements since you were placed in charge. Ever since the unfortunate departure of Professor Hugo Strange, I feared that this facility would soon go up in smoke. However, your changes have re-opened my eyes to the wonder which was being kept behind the closed doors of this super-prison. Since you were placed in charge and the reconstruction of Wonder Tower was complete, prisoner casualties have decreased 84% and the crime rate has decreased 37%. However, there is still the matter of the ongoing gang wars between Harvey Dent aka. Two-Face, Oswald Cobblepot aka. The Penguin and Harleen Quinzel aka. Harley Quinn. I understand the difficulty of the situation, but it must be dealt with a soon as possible. Also, there have been multiple reports of missing persons in the vicinity. This must also be dealt with in time. Those minor details aside, Arkham City has made a huge recovery. Keep up to good work and good luck with your new position. **

**Sincerely yours**

**Mayor. Quincy Sharp**

**- Park Row, Hush's Hideout -**

He groaned as he opened the refrigerator door, only seeing a single light beer huddled up in the corner. Seeing it as his only source of refreshment, Hush reached inside, removed the bottle from it's cold tomb and closed the fridge again. Opening the top, he raised it to his bandage-covered lips and took a swig. Glancing around his hideout at the torn wallpaper, the bloodied operation chair and the dusty floors, he instantly started thinking about his life if his plan to kill his parents had succeeded. He'd have fame, fortune and overall respect from the citizens of Gotham. He might still have been friends with his old childhood pal, Bruce Wayne. But no, instead he'd been reduced to this. Skulking away every night in this ramshackle of an apartment, thinking of plans for revenge, which were sure to fail. But, before he could bring the bottle to his lips once more, the sound of a gunshot echoed from outside. Not only that, but the sounds of screaming, punching and crashing followed close behind. Realising that he could be in danger, Hush placed the alcoholic beverage back in the refrigerator, right before wiping his mouth on his sleeve. As fast as possible, he ran to his desk, pulled open the drawer and retrieved a small revolver. Aiming it towards the doorway, he nervously waited as the screams and crashing died down. His heartbeat increased as the sound of footsteps got closer and closer, until finally, three loud knocks thudded from the door. Standing his ground, Hush focused his arm, awaiting the target's next move. Seconds passed until three more knocks hit his eardrums, this time, even louder. Not making a sound, Hush slowly shifted across the wooden flooring, until he'd pressed his bandaged ear straight up against the door's chipped, pale green paint. Listening intently, he heard the sound of footsteps again, but uttered a sigh of relief as they got quieter and quieter. Turning the key in the lock, he slowly turned the handle and peeked through the small crack. Stepping out into the night, his gun still raised, he scanned the surrounding area, awaiting the appearance of his unidentified foe. But no, the only thing in plain sight was the multiple snowflakes falling to the ground, a sight he was used to since entering Arkham City. Finally letting his guard down, he let out a chuckle at the opponents feeble attempts.

"Yeah that's right. Nobody messes with Hush. Nobody!" he called out, turning back to his apartment. However, his smug grin soon disappeared as he caught a glimpse of a mysterious figure quickly entering his apartment through the wide open door.

"_Oh crap. Why did I leave it open?_" he thought as he raised his gun once more, keeping his eyes on the door as he made his way back over. Once back inside, he closed the door behind him and peeked around the corner of the corridor, only to see the same empty room as before. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, he glanced around the room once more. Nothing. Nobody else. Just him. Placing the pistol in the back of his trousers, he rolled his eyes and headed back over to the refrigerator, sighing to himself.

"_You need to loosen up, Tommy. You're getting stir-crazy_" he thought as he re-opened the door and grabbed the already open beer bottle. However, as he turned around, he raised his head in surprise as a figure dropped down from the ceiling, landing a few feet away on the opposite side of the operation chair.

"I've been looking for you, Dr. Elliot" she said in a smooth, seductive voice. But before he could respond, the figure reached inside her black jacket, retrieved a small knife and threw it straight at him. Hush closed his eyes in fear as the knife flew straight through the beer bottle and lodged itself in the wall behind him, leaving shards of brown glass and froth all over his hand and the floor. Glaring at the intruder with narrow eyes, he studied her, guessing the tactics he could probably use against her. Underneath her straight, shoulder length black hair, her high-pencilled eyebrows waggled suggestively. Grabbing the knife out of the wall behind him, he tossed it back at her with the same accuracy as she did. However, almost like she was in the Matrix, she leaned back and grabbed the knife's handle as it flew over her head. Leaning back up, she pulled her jacket back open, revealing not only a dark, red, v-neck top, but a whole arsenal of blades attached to the insides.

"Well sorry, but I'm afraid you'd have to book an appointment" Hush responded, reaching for the back of his trousers and retrieving his gun. Pulling the trigger multiple times, Hush kept his eyes on the mysterious female as she dove to the left, easily dodging each of the bullets before landing on the bent up mattress next to the corridor and knocking over the bucket of water which was catching each of the water droplets as they fell down from the ceiling. Pulling the trigger again, Hush was met by multiple clicks, signifying the lack of ammunition. Watching as his opponent picked herself up, he ran to the drawer to grab some more bullets, however, before he could even reach the drawer, another knife went straight through his sleeve, pinning him to the wall. And before he could free himself, a secondary knife flew through the other sleeve, leaving him in a position which made him look like he was being crucified. He started struggling with all his might, right before the intruder kicked him in the face with one of her dark red, knee-high boots. Lowering his head and spitting blood onto the floor, Hush looked back at his now triumphant opponents, gritting his teeth with rage. Stepping towards him, the female crossed her arms in contentment, raising her eyebrows and letting a small smile spread across her face. Putting on a grin of his own, Hush looked her up and down curiously.

"Let me guess, you're going to threaten me with yet another knife?" he suggested, getting a small snigger form his opponent.

"Nah, I figured you'd respond to something more threatening" she replied, reaching for her belt to reveal a pair of twin-pistols, one on each side. Grabbing one, she raised it to Hush's forehead and cocked it.

"Damn, you're packing more heat than a furnace" he commented, getting a small giggle from his captor.

"At least I remember to carry extra ammo" she replied smugly. Rolling his eyes, Hush smirked at his opponent's determination.

"Fine, I'm all ears. What do you need?" he asked, causing her to lower her gun and begin pacing left and right in front of him.

"I need to know where Deadshot's hiding out" the mysterious woman asked, twirling the pistol in her hand.

"What makes you think I know?" Hush asked again, concerned about this stranger's plans.

"A little bird told me about the deal you two have: You supply him with the weapon tech, he keeps you off of his Hit-List" she explained.

"So, what if he does? What's it to you?" Hush replied, a hint of anger now creeping into his tone.

"It means nothing to me. I just thought, since you two are acquaintances, you'd know where to find him" the woman replied, shrugging her shoulders, the gun still tight in her grasp.

"And what do I gain from this if I help you?" Hush asked, narrowing his eyes at her. Instantly, she stopped pacing and raised the gun to his forehead yet again.

"Well, I'd threaten your life, but then I may lose my only lead. So, I improvised. Be right back" she explained before heading back to the door. As she stepped outside, Hush waited nervously, fearing what she might return with. As the sound of her footsteps got louder and louder, Hush watched in wonder as she re-entered the room holding a small freezer-box. There were words printed on the side which read:

**HUMAN ORGANS**

**FOR**

**TRANSPLANT**

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, he looked into the stranger's golden eyes as she stopped right in front of him.

"Did you hear about those recent missing person cases here in Arkham City?" she asked, smiling.

"That was you?" Hush asked with wide eyes, getting another giggle from his assailant.

"Half of it was. But, I did it all for you" she explained, still holding the box under her arm.

"Why?" Hush asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That little bird also mentioned that you were planning a few more...experiments. Yet you lacked the required materials" the woman explained, tapping the box with her hand.

"Wait, are those the faces of the victims?" Hush asked as he gazed at the freezer-box with wide eyes.

"You bet. And they can be yours if you tell me where Deadshot is. Well, Hush, what do you say? Deal or No Deal?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows once more. A few seconds passed as Hush considered this trade. Until finally, he gave his answer.

"He's using the old G.C.P.D. Building as his new hideout. He's using the research labs to build new weapons. That's all I know" Hush finished, getting a satisfied look from his captor. Placing the freezer-box on the operation chair, she reached up and removed both of the knives from the wall, freeing Hush. Patting the top of the freezer-box, the woman turned and started heading for the door again.

"They're all yours. Nice doing business with you" she said, swaying her hips as she walked. But, as Hush was about to open the box, he turned back to her.

"Wait, I almost forgot. Be careful with Deadshot, he's tougher than he looks. I heard that Penguin sent a few of his guys in there to take back control. They haven't been seen since" he warned, causing the stranger to turn back to face him.

"Don't worry about me. I'll get to him. You just put those samples to good use. Or...whatever you plan to do with them" she finished before turning back to the door. However, as she reached the door, she turned back to him again.

"By the way, call me Stainless" she said before heading out into the night, closing the door behind her.

**- New York City, The Next Day -**

"_Good Morning, New York City. If you've just joined us, it's 9:15AM and the sun's right up in the sky. Now today, we thought we'd start you off with a little 'Kid Rock' for a change_" the radio host announced as sixteen year-old Eddie Strach climbed out of bed, nodding along with the beat of the music.

**(Music Playing: Kid Rock – All Summer Long)**

Taking a quick shower, Eddie brushed his teeth at an incredible pace, and at the same time, turning them pearly white. Dashing into his bedroom, he picked out a pair of dark skinny-jeans, a pair of black converses and finally, his work shirt. It was a black polo-shirt with white lining the ends of the sleeves and the collar. On the left breast was the logo for the company he worked for:

**WAYNE ENTERPRISES**

**NEW YORK DIVISION**

Throwing his brown, leather satchel over his left shoulder, he exited his room and headed for the door. Passing the kitchen, he failed to notice his mother exiting as he passed, seconds before calling out to him.

"Excuse me, but have you even had your breakfast yet?" she asked, getting a groan from her son as a response.

"Don't worry, mom. I'll grab something from Jessica's" he responded as he headed back over to her. As he reached her, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and a hug.

"Love you, mom. I'll see you later" he said before heading back over to the door. Rolling her eyes at her son's desperation to leave, she headed back into the kitchen. Once outside, Eddie turned left and started walking towards work, all the while thinking to himself.

"_Today's going to be a good day_" he thought as he crossed the street.

**A/N: Well, that's the beginning. Thanks to anyone who reads this and the chapters to come. I'll be sure to add you in the author's notes at the end. Until next time, read and PLEASE review.**

**TheShapeshifter100's deviantART page: **


	2. Satan's Army

**A/N: 'Sup peoples. It's great to be back in business. Sorry for the long update, I've been busy with camping and stuff. Read on.**

**- Jessica's Coffee Place -**

Eddie grinned at the purple-haired waitress as she cleaned the counter she stood behind. Heading inside, he took a seat at the stool in front of her and placed his satchel on the floor beside him. However, she still hadn't noticed him.

"Excuse me, miss? Can I have a black coffee and a kiss to go, please?" Eddie asked, causing Clea to look up at him, but as she recognized the customer, a smile spread across her lips.

"Coming right up, sir. We're actually having a special on kisses today" she replied, leaning on the counter in front of him.

"Really? What's the special?" Eddie asked, raising his eyebrows in a flirty manner. But, before she answered, she planted a quick kiss on his lips and pulled away soon after.

"Two for the price of one" she answered, leaning in once more and making contact with his lips. When they parted, she walked over to the coffee machine and poured her boyfriend a coffee. Placing the coffee in front of him, she held out her hand expectantly.

"That'll be $2.25" she asked, making Eddie retrieve his wallet from his satchel and give her the money required. Placing the money in the register and giving him his change, she returned to cleaning the counter with the rag she held.

"So, how's thing at work?" she asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Fine, I'm earning good pay" Eddie replied before taking a sip of his coffee.  
"That's nice. When do you have to be there?" Clea asked again, ceasing her cleaning and throwing the rag over her shoulder.

"Well, I need to leave in five minutes if I want to make it on time. Hmm, what could we do in five

minutes?" Eddie suggested, a hint of smugness in his voice. Raising an eyebrow suggestively, Clea leaned in for a long kiss with him, her tongue exploring the inner recesses of his mouth. However, this romantic moment ended as the sound of somebody clearing their throat interrupted them. Turning their heads at the exact same time, they saw Charlotte standing there, her arms crossed and a grin spread across her face.

"Save it for after work, guys. We have health standards to uphold" she reminded, placing her name-tag on her shirt and joining Clea behind the counter. Rolling his eyes, Eddie stood up and picked his coffee up off of the counter.

"I should be going anyway. Good to see you again, Char" he said, reaching down with his spare hand to pick up his satchel. Leaning in for a final peck on the cheek, Eddie turned around and headed out into the city once more.

**- Wayne Enterprises: New York Division, Tech Support - **

The sounds of computer keys clicking and simultaneous speaking filled the room full of lined cubicles as the multiple tech support employees went about jobs, giving simple little pointers and helpful hints about technology to the people who needed it. Eddie sat in his own little cubicle, tapping his finger on his desk and staring at the Google Search Bar on the screen in front of him absentmindedly. Suddenly, a ringing came from his headset, making him jump. Taking in a few deep breaths, he reached over to the phone on his desk and pressed the answer button, ceasing the ringing coming from the headphones.

"You've reached Tech Support, my name's Eddie. How can I help you today?" he asked, hearing quiet breathing from the other end on the line.

"_Yeah, hi. For some reason, my internet's not working_" a female voice explained, her voice slightly muffled.

"Is the router running?" he asked, reaching for his computer mouse and clicking on the latest news feeds.

"_Yeah, everything's plugged in, but I'm still not getting any connection_" the woman responded. Whilst thinking of a solution to her problem, Eddie read the headline of the story in front of him:

**ARKHAM CITY:**

**TURNED OVER A NEW LEAF?**

Eddie had heard the whole story about what had happened not so long ago, Hugo Strange trying to massacre all those people, Joker dying, it wasn't a very happy ending.

"Okay, have you tried turning it on and off?" he asked, hoping to buy some time so he could read the story.

"_Yes, but it still isn't working_" the woman replied, making Eddie search his brain once more for a solution.

"Hmm...okay, try this. It's a little trick I learned. Turn off everything at the main plug, wait thirty seconds then turn it back on" he explained, eagerly awaiting a response.

"_Sure, should I call back?_" the woman asked, accompanied by the sound of her computer powering down.

"Don't worry, just take your time. I'll wait" Eddie responded, finally getting his chance to read the story. It read:

_**Seven months ago, after the tragic events of the Arkham City disaster, the Gotham City Council had the choice of deciding what to do with the abysmal super-prison since the death of Professor Strange. Bravely stepping forward, Commissioner Jim Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department decided to take charge by starting a campaign to fix this prison for the better. After six months of careful planning, generous funding from billionaire Bruce Wayne and the restoration of the previously destroyed Wonder Tower, Gordon had the prison working in much better condition than before. And according to the first assessment overseen by Mayor. Quincy Sharp, he's done a fine job. But there are still multiple city officials who wish for the immediate shut down of the facility due to the deadly gang wars and the recent missing persons cases. Thus, leaving people with the same question on each others minds: Is the new Arkham City really safe?**_

"_Okay, I've turned it back on_" the female asked, bringing Eddie back to reality.

"And is it working?" he asked, tapping his fingers.

"_It's loading...and...it is. It's working perfectly_" the woman explained, her voice escalating to a more happy tone.

"If there are any more problems, just call again" Eddie insisted, grinning as he did so.

"_I will. Thank you so much_" the woman thanked, making Eddie know that she was grateful.

"Anytime. Bye" he responded before hanging up. Looking back to the screen, he scrolled down to another story, a story about him and his team:

**SATAN'S ARMY:**

**ANGELS OR DEMONS?**

_**Criminals, thugs and crime bosses alike have been quaking in their boots since the arrival of new crime fighting team, Satan's Army. Consisting of new arrivals Phobia and Raven, they have been helping the innocent for almost a whole year, being guided by their possible leader, the notorious vigilante known as Daredevil. However, some of New York's citizens do not trust the newly appointed team due to their habit of only operating at night and their off-putting name. **_

Reading the last sentence, Eddie rolled his eyes at that ridiculous assumption. Leaning back in his chair, he reread the story, wondering why some people would fear them because of their name. They hadn't done anything wrong and they always helped whenever they could. Plus, they'd saved more lives than Daredevil had when he was working on his own. Suddenly, a head popped up over the wall of his cubicle, scaring him and nearly making him fall off his chair. Taking in deep breaths, he scowled at Harper as he erupted into fits of laughter. Brushing his brown hair out of his eyes, Harper grinned at his friend as he regained his footing, still scowling at him slightly.

"Need something, Harper?" Eddie asked, allowing a small smirk to spread across his lips.

"I was just going on coffee break, you want to come with?" Harper asked in response, getting a nod from his friend as a response. Eddie removed his headphones and exited his cubicle, immediately joined by Harper as they reached the coffee room. As Eddie started up the coffee machine, Harper reached up to the top cupboard and retrieved two mugs, placing them side by side on the counter. As the coffee was being made, both of them leaned against a part of the counter, tapping their fingers.

"So, can you tell me?" Harper suddenly asked, grinning expectantly. At the sound of this request, Eddie groaned with irritation, regretting the decision he'd made to tell his best friend about his double life.

"C'mon dude, I can't talk about that stuff in the workplace. Do you know what would happen if people found out that I was Phobia?" Eddie asked in response, checking to see if nobody else was around.

"Please dude, it's my highlight of the day hearing about the stuff you do the night before. There's nobody around anyway, it'll be fine" Harper reassured, mentally urging his friend to continue. Letting out a sigh of defeat, Eddie began to tell his story just as the coffee machine finished its job.

"There were these two guys dealing drugs in an alleyway on 3rd. I intervened and stopped them" Eddie explained, pouring coffee into each of their mugs.

"Nice work. I'm so glad we became work buddies" Harper said, almost dreamily.

"We're only friends because I helped you through High School. If it wasn't for me, you would've failed that final math test" Eddie replied, grinning and getting a shocked look from his friend.

"Hey, I could've passed that test without your help if I wanted to" Harper retaliated, putting on a fake look of hurt.

"Really? Then answer this: What's fifty divided by ten?" Eddie asked, grinning. Harper however had a look of pure confusion plastered on his face as he tried to work out the partly easy math sum. After ten seconds of silence from Harper, Eddie broke it and, at the same time, Harper's concentration.

"I'm sorry, the brain you are trying to reach has been disconnected. Please try again when you've grown one" he mocked, earning a playful punch on the arm.

**- Meanwhile, New York County Supreme Court Building -**

"So, Mr. Fowl, what happened after you left the bar?" Matt Murdock asked the man sitting at the stand, using his radar sense to listen to his heartbeat, waiting for it to either increase or stay the same. Him and his partner Franklin "Foggy" Nelson were dealing with a hard court case. The victim they were defending, Mary Hartford, had been at a local bar when Mr. Fowl introduced himself. Turning a blind eye to him, she started heading home on her own, unaware that he had followed her. As soon as she had entered her home, he made his move and burst through the door behind her. As he tried to make sexual advances on her, she fought back and quickly called the Police. Running for his life, he ran out into the street and hijacked the first car in sight, speeding off with a whole squad of cruisers after him. Unfortunately for him, he was stopped by a familiar, red clad vigilante when he tried to make a run for it. Matt could tell this was the same guy, he could literally sense it. But he couldn't say that it was him, people would be suspicious about a supposedly blind man knowing a person who he hadn't even met until now. Pushing his shades up the bridge of his nose, Matt patiently awaited a reply from the accused man.

"Well, I simply headed home, watched a bit of TV and that's about it" Fowl replied in a calm manner, not even blinking. Listening intently, Matt heard the faint sound of an increased heartbeat coming from the aura surrounding Mr. Fowl. Knowing he was lying, Matt allowed a smile to spread across his lips.

"So, you didn't follow Miss Hartford back home?" he asked, still smiling.

"Yes. Of course" Fowl replied, sounding a little bit agitated. Matt listened; another lie.

"Are you definitely sure?"he asked once more, still smiling. Yet confusing everybody in the courtroom.

"For the final time, yes, I'm definitely sure. I don't even know which apartment she lives in" Fowl exclaimed, not even thinking about what he was saying. Sighing intently, Matt decided to drop the bomb.

"With all due respect, Mr. Fowl, not once has anybody mentioned that Miss Hartford lived in an apartment building" Matt mentioned, causing Fowl's eyes to widen and the other attendants to begin whispering. Reacting quickly, the judge banged his gavel three times.

"Order in the court" he announced, making the room silent and allowing Matt to continue.

"Mr Fowl, are you aware that lying while under oath is known as perjury?" he asked, his grin disappearing.

"I...but...I..." Fowl stammered, his eyes glancing around the court, mentally begging for help.

"And are you aware that perjury is a crime that could lead to five years in jail?" Matt asked once more, his voice sounding more and more serious. But before Fowl could respond, his own attorney stood up.

"OBJECTION!" he called out to the judge.

"Overruled. Take a seat, Mr. Murdock. You've your point" the judge ordered, allowing a smile to return to Matt's face.

"Thank you, your honor" he replied, returning to his seat beside his partner.

**- Later -**

The jury returned with stern looks on their faces, putting fear into each person in the room.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asked expectantly.

"We have, your honor. We find the defendant, Michael Fowl, guilty of all charges" the speaker of the jury answered, turning her head to narrow her eyes at the criminal. Matt, Foggy and Mary let out quiet exclamations of joy at the sound of this, the same couldn't be said for Fowl and his attorney.

"Michael Fowl, you are found guilty of breaking and entering, sexual assault, grand theft auto and resisting arrest. Therefore, you are sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. Case dismissed" the judge announced, slamming down his gavel for the final time. As the guards started to close in on him, Fowl stood up, glancing back and forth between guards.

"No, this isn't fair. You're not arresting me" he retaliated, leaping over the table and making a run for the exit. However, as he ran past Matt's table, Matt stuck out his white cane, tripping him up and sending him to the floor. Instantly, guards surrounded him and placed a pair of handcuffs on him, right before dragging him out of the room as he struggled in their grasp.

"Is everybody alright?" the judge asked, getting positive responses from everybody in the room. Moving his cane back in, Matt smiled to himself, unnoticed by everyone.

**- Outside -**

Matt and Foggy started heading down the stone steps, grinning at their triumph in the court room.

"That was a very lucky save there, Matt" Foggy complimented, completely unaware of Matt's unbelievable ability. Suddenly, a police car pulled over at the bottom of the steps and the sounds of footsteps filled their ears. Turning around, Foggy saw Fowl being escorted down the steps by two police officers, his face engulfed with a look of anger. Matt didn't need to see it, he could feel it. Looking up at Matt, Fowl told the guards to stop, allowing him to come face to face with the blind attorney.

"So help me, you'll pay for this" he said angrily, causing Matt to continue smiling.

"Just be glad justice was found here today, Fowl. You'll have a hard time trying to hurt me behind bars" he replied smugly. But Fowl just let out a laugh and smiled back.

"I don't need to, I've got friends, Murdock. Friends who won't be happy to hear that you put me in jail. Sooner or later, they'll come for you. And I'll have the pleasure of hearing how they tore you to shreds as you begged for mercy" he said, his voice not showing any sign of emotion. Tightening his grip on his cane handle, Matt narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses, his mouth losing it's grin.

"Get him out here" Matt told the officers, to which they obliged without further questions. The doors slammed shut and the car sped away, leaving Matt and Foggy alone at the bottom of the court house's steps. Comfortingly, Foggy patted Matt on the back as he "watched" the car disappear around a corner.

"Don't listen to him, Matt. How's about we go and get a celebratory drink? First rounds on me?" Foggy suggested, but Matt just tightened his grip on the cane even more.

"Maybe some other time. I've got work to do" he replied, using his radar sense to trace Fowl's possible friends.

**- Later that night, Terry's Bar -**

Rock music and drunken rambling filled the bar full of obnoxious bikers and criminals looking for a place to hide out. Aside from the people sitting in booths or playing pool, the two men sitting at the bar were some of the most dangerous occupants. The first one was called Riley, he was a Caucasian man of an average height with spiked-up, brown hair. He wore a dark grey vest, dark blue jeans and black combat boots. His associate, Kaleb, was African-American with closely cut, black hair. He wore a black leather jacket with a white, button-up shirt underneath, black jeans and black shoes. Between them, they each had a pint of beer, both nearly empty.

"So, man, did you find out who put Mikey in the slammer?" Riley asked, taking another swig of beer and wiping his mouth on his arm. Reaching into his jacket, Kaleb revealed a couple of printed photographs from the case earlier that day. It was a zoomed-in image of a man with brown hair in a grey suit and tie wearing a pair of sunglasses.

"His name's Matt Murdock, he's a district attorney operating in Hell's Kitchen" he explained, tapping the photo.

"So, how do we deal with this guy?" Riley asked again, looking from the photograph to his partner.

"We find a lead on the case he was working on and track him to his home address" Kaleb replied, sounding significantly confident.

"Then what?" Riley asked for a third time, irritating Kaleb slightly.

"It's a surprise. Right now though, lets enjoy the night. Speaking of which..." he trailed off, nodding toward an attractive brunette sitting a few stools away from them. She wore a low cut, purple dress which showed a generous amount of leg and cleavage. Following his gaze, Riley raised his eyebrows in amazement, grinning as he did so.

"How are you going to reel her in?" he asked, but Kaleb was already downing the rest of his beer, slamming the empty glass back on the table.

"Watch and learn, kid" he replied, groggily standing up from his stool and making his way over to the woman. Noticing this stranger approaching her, the woman turned away, hoping he'd pass her by, but to no avail. Sitting down at the stool beside her, Kaleb leaned on the bar, looking her up and down. After a few seconds of silence, the brunette finally broke it.

"Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer" she suggested mockingly., but all it did was cause Kaleb to laugh.

"Sorry, where are my manners? I'm Kaleb. And you are?" he asked, she could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Kelly. It's nice to meet you, Kaleb" she replied, once again avoiding eye contact. Thinking that this was going somewhere, Kaleb decided to break the ice.

"How about I buy you a drink?" he suggested, raising an eyebrow flirtatiously.

"As flattering as your offer is, I'm already waiting for someone" Kelly lied, looking up and down the bar, pretending to be searching for her "date".

"You really think I'm dumb enough to fall for that?" Kaleb replied, his grin slowly fading.

"I'm not lying. I really am waiting for someone" Kelly lied once more, sounding scared.

"Listen, just have drink with me. I'll show you how much of a nice guy I really am" Kaleb explained, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Shocked at his gesture, Kelly furrowed her own eyebrows in anger.

"I'm sorry, Kaleb. But the answer's no" she finished, grabbing her clutch purse from the bar and getting up to walk away. But before she could even stand, Kaleb reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from going any further.

"Listen here, bitch. I don't take no for an answer. Strike that, I NEVER take no for an answer" he explained, his voice sounding gruff and threatening, striking fear in Kelly heart.

"Let me go. LET ME GO!" she shouted as she struggled in Kaleb's grasp, but it was no use. He was too strong. Suddenly, the bar doors burst open, attracting the attention of every single patron, including Kaleb and Kelly. The figure entered and stood at the far end, looking down the aisle in between the row of booths and the bar. He was dressed in a crimson leather with a DD insignia on the breast. He wore buckled leather boots, red, leather gloves and wore a helmet with two horns protruding out of the top and the eyes mirrored. Attached to his belt was a holster containing a small pole, the same color as his armour. Tapping his foot, Daredevil sent a sound wave across the room, allowing him to scan for opponents.

"_9 people, 7 armed, barkeep has shotgun hidden behind the bar, 1 innocent, this'll be a piece of cake_" he thought, reaching into his holster and retrieving the pole. Pressing a small switch on the side, two blades popped out at the sides, making it resemble a pickaxe. At the sight of this, Kaleb freaked, he was coming for him.

"Shoot 'im!" he called out, causing each patron, expect Kelly, to grab assorted firearms from their trousers and open fire on the crimson vigilante.

**(Music Playing: Avenged Sevenfold – Welcome to the family)**

Raising his pickaxe, he quickly deflected a bullet, making it ricochet off of the wall and into the leg of another patron, causing him to cry out in pain and drop to the floor. He did the same with another bullet, however, this bullet hit a patron straight in the hand, causing him to drop his gun and fall down in pain. Diving behind the bar, Daredevil pressed the pickaxe attachments back inside the pole and hit a separate switch, causing the pole to split in two and become a pair on nun-chucks. Rolling out from behind the bar, he launched one of the nun-chucks at a patron, hitting him straight in the forehead and knocking him out. Retracting the nun-chuck, he fired it once more and swung it to the left, causing it to wrap around the leg of a patron. Gripping the string on the nun-chuck, Daredevil gave it a huge tug, pulling the patron to the ground and making fall back into Riley, taking them both out. Immediately, the barkeep reached under the bar and grabbed his shotgun. Cocking it, the sound-waves allowed to Daredevil to hear what he was doing, blowing his cover. As he popped up above the bar and aimed the barrel straight at the vigilante's face, Daredevil quickly grabbed it and aimed it upwards. The gunshot took a out a huge chunk of the ceiling, causing a large amount of debris to fall down in between Daredevil and the bar. Grabbing the barrel of the gun with both hands, he shoved the butt into the barkeep's face, knocking him out and sending him to the floor along with all the other unconscious patrons.

**- Music ends -**

Tapping his foot, he sensed two remaining patrons, one unarmed, the other with a nervous heartbeat. Placing the nun-chucks back together, he pressed the other switch, returning it to it's previous form of a pickaxe. He started making his way towards Kaleb, narrowing his eyebrows under his mask. Horrified, Kaleb grabbed a knife from his back pocket and held it to Kelly's throat, causing Daredevil to stop dead in his tracks. Grabbing Kelly's arm and leading her to back exit, Kaleb kept his eyes on the crimson vigilante the whole time, making sure he didn't try anything funny. Using the sound of Kaleb's footsteps to track him across the room, Daredevil retracted the blades of his pickaxe, returning it to it's pole form and placing it back in it's holster.

"Let her go, prick" he ordered through gritted teeth, narrowing his eyebrows once more. Grinning, Kaleb let out a small chuckle.

"Sure. Just don't follow me" he replied before pushing Kelly to the ground and running out of the back exit, the door quickly slamming shut behind him. Running over to Kelly, Daredevil knelt down and placed his hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"Are you okay?" he asked, making his fake deep voice sound as comforting as possible. Slowly, taking deep breaths as she did so, Kelly looked up at her savior, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. What about him?" she asked, gesturing to the door Kaleb had just run out of.

"Don't worry, he'll be back someday. Criminals always return to the scene of the crime" Daredevil replied, helping her to her feet.

CRASH!

Both Daredevil and Kelly looked towards the back exit as the door broke down and Kaleb came flying back into the room.

"Wow, they don't usually return that fast" Daredevil mentioned, sensing a new presence standing in the doorway. From the floor, Kaleb looked up at the new assailant with fear. He wore a black leather costume similar to Daredevil, minus the insignia. However, instead of a horned helmet, he wore a black, plastic gas-mask with a hood. Reaching for his belt, he retrieved a device similar to Daredevil's weapon. It was a small black pole with a switch on the side. Pressing it, a single, silver blade popped out of the side, making it resemble what looked like a scythe. It only took the gas-mask to make Kaleb realize who this was. One of Daredevil's sidekicks. Phobia.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, making Kaleb back away across the floor, desperately trying to stand back up. However, as he regained his footing, Daredevil grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and held him up against the wall.

"You stay away from that lawyer. Go anywhere near Hell's Kitchen, we'll come for you. Understand?" Daredevil asked, his deep voice sounding as threatening as ever.

"I will. I will. I promise. Please let me go" Kaleb begged, tears brimming in his eyes. Not letting him go, Phobia placed his scythe back in its holster, came over to Daredevil and stood beside him.

"Daredevil, let him go" he ordered, his voice muffled behind his gas-mask. Obliging, Daredevil slammed Kaleb against the wall a final time, knocking him out cold. Turning from Kaleb's unconscious form to Phobia, Daredevil nodded towards Kelly. Phobia turned around to face the bystander.

"Call the Police. They'll handle things from here" Phobia said, getting a nod from Kelly as a response before she ran out of the bar, reaching for her cellphone. Turning to face Daredevil, Phobia saw that he had his arms crossed.

"What are you doing here, Eddie?" Daredevil asked, not sounding happy.

"Stopping that guy from getting away. A thank you might be nice every once in a while" Phobia replied, crossing his arms hurtfully. Shaking his head, Daredevil looked past Phobia to the back exit, only to sense and empty doorway. Following his gaze, Phobia tilted his head, obviously confused.

"Were you expecting somebody else?" he asked, turning back to face his mentor.

"Where's Charlotte?" Daredevil asked in response, wondering why she wasn't helping Phobia with his little crusade.

"There was a disturbance on the other side of town, she went to check it out" he replied, causing Daredevil's eyes to widen behind his mask.

"And you let her go by herself?" he asked, worried about the safety of his other apprentice.

"Don't worry about Charlotte. She can handle herself, you should've seen the stuff she's been doing lately. She's been putting out fires all over the place" Phobia replied reassuringly.

**- The other side of town -**

The little boy pulled his knees to his chest as the flames licked around the edges of his bed. Orange light illuminated his tears as they slowly rolled down his cheeks, the fire had already consumed most of his bedroom and was beginning to ascend the wall, climbing towards the ceiling. His mother had gone to take out the trash before he noticed the smoke seeping in from under his door, since then, she hadn't even tried to help him. Silently, he begged for help, praying for an angel to carry him out of the inferno and back to his mother. Suddenly, as if his prayers had been answered, he heard a banging coming from his bedroom door.

"Hello? Is anybody in there?" a female voice asked frantically.

"Uh-huh" the boy replied, his voice breaking slightly. Awaiting a reply from the unfamiliar voice, instead he heard the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps, right before the door burst open, causing ash to fly up into the air and the boy to cover his eyes. A figure entered the room, her form outlined by the flames. From the feet up, she wore black boots, with matching leggings and a skirt. She wore a black top with no sleeves and a small, mask with a wing on either side. But her most outstanding feature was a pair of metallic wings attached to her back with a pair of shoulder straps.

"Come on, I'm going to get you out of here" she explained, holding her hand out to the boy, to which he took hold of. Picking him up and carrying him in out of the bedroom, Raven started making her way down the flaming corridor, picking up speed as the sounds of creaking got louder and louder. However, before she could reach the stairs, the ceiling caved in, blocking her path.

"_Interesting_" she thought as she turned away, heading the opposite direction. Unfortunately, the roof caved in that way as well.

"_Okay, now I'm a little worried_" she thought, sweat pouring down her forehead as she tried to find a way out. Taking heavy breaths, she looked down the final corridor. It was a straight shot with a window at the end, no debris whatsoever. Looking up fearfully, she heard the sound of creaking again, the ceiling wouldn't hold up for much longer.

"What's going on?" the little boy asked, following her gaze.

"Nothing. Just close your eyes and don't open them until I say so" Raven replied, making him burrow his head into the crook of her neck. Taking her chance, she started running down the final corridor, the ceiling finally caving in behind her as she did so. Reaching the end, she closed her eyes and dove through the glass, accompanied by the sound of it shattering. Feeling the wind on her face, she opened her eyes, seeing fire engines and multiple citizens standing on the street below, getting closer and closer. Flexing her shoulder blades, her metallic wings popped outwards, causing her to jolt in mid-air as she slowly started gliding back to the ground. Reaching the sidewalk, she knelt down upon landing and slowly stood back up, placing the little boy on the ground in front of her.

"You can open your eyes now" she said, kneeling down again to eye level. Opening his eyes, the boy looked up at the burning apartment building, then turned to face the crowd of people watching in amazement. Pushing through the crowd, a woman with tears running down her cheeks ran forward and pulled the boy in for a long hug.

"Thank you. Th-thank you so much" she sobbed, looking up at the orange-haired heroine with a smile. Happy to see a mother and child reunited, Raven smiled back, letting out a gasp as pain suddenly shot through her right arm. Looking down, her eyes widened as she saw a huge cut on her upper arm, creating a small trail of blood trickling down to her hand.

"_I must've done it when I dived out of the window_" she thought, clutching her wound as a second burst of pain hit her. Hearing police sirens getting closer and closer, she ran to the nearest alleyway, her costume allowing her to blend into the darkness as she disappeared from sight.

**- Later, Matt's Rooftop Lock-up/Secret Base -**

"God, that stings" Charlotte exclaimed as Matt removed another shard of glass from her wound and placed it in the metal container on the coffee table in front of him, alongside the other fragments.

"Well, if you held still, it wouldn't hurt as much" he replied, wiping the blood off of the tweezers he was using.

"The fact that I'm getting surgery done on me by a blind guy isn't that reassuring" Charlotte retorted, raising her eyebrows vexatiously.

"Just be glad I learned how to do this. I could've taken you to the hospital and let them patch you up with more glass inside you than a greenhouse" Matt replied, gently tapping her arm to check for more shards. But as luck would have it, he'd removed them all. Placing the tweezers beside the metal container, he reached for the bottle of iodine beside it and opened the cap.

"Now brace yourself, this is just so the wound doesn't get infected" he informed, pouring a decent amount over her injury and causing her to gasp out in pain again, allowing a small tear to roll down her cheek. Placing the iodine back on the table, Matt reached for the roll of bandages beside it and started wrapping them around Charlotte's arm, concealing the wound. Tearing off the bandage roll, Matt tied the end into a knot, holding the bandage in place around Charlotte's slashed limb.

"There. All done. It should be fine in a couple of days" Matt explained, giving his friend a comforting pat on the back. Letting out a sigh of relief, Charlotte got up off the leather couch she sat on and moved her arm around, getting accustomed with the small yet unnoticeable hints of pain coming from her wound as she did so. Picking up the tray full of glass fragments, Matt headed into the small kitchen area he'd built in.

"Can you put the iodine and bandages back in the first aid compartment?" he asked, not even turning around.

"Sure thing" she replied, picking them up off of the table and placing them in the cabinet beside the couch. All of a sudden, the sound of the metal door opening echoed throughout the lock-up, making Charlotte turn to face it's direction. Phobia stepped inside and closed the door behind him, removing his mask subsequently. Shaking his head left and right, his jet-black hair flew out of his eyes and gripped his forehead, hanging just above his eyes, but covering his eyebrows. Crossing her arms, Charlotte gave him 'the look'.

"Where've you been?" she asked, grinning slightly.

"Got held up with a store robbery. Beat down three guys, one got away" Eddie quickly explained, using his left hand to wipe a few beads of sweat off of his forehead.

"Was the owner okay?" Charlotte asked again worriedly, fearing about what might've happened to him.

"He was fine. He was actually very appreciative. He gave me a free packet of Twizzlers" Eddie replied reassuringly, holding up his other hand to reveal the cherry-red packet of candy. Tearing the top off, he held it out to his orange-haired sibling expectantly. Smiling back, Charlotte accepted his offer and took out one of the liquorice strings. Eddie did the same and bit into it, heading over to the couch as he did so, soon joined by Charlotte. Sitting down side by side, Eddie glanced at the dressings on her upper arm, raising an eyebrow as he did so.

"How did that happen?" he asked with a mouthful of liquorice, swallowing it soon after.

"Oh, I took a dive through a window. Long story" Charlotte replied, causing Eddie to raise his eyebrows in surprise. At the sound of footsteps, Eddie turned to see Matt returning from the kitchen area, wiping sweat from his forehead as he passed them. As he sat down, he sniffed the air, a smile forming on his lips.

"Are they Twizzlers?" he asked, looking Eddie's direction. In response, Eddie held out the packet to the blind vigilante. Using his radar sense to see, Matt reached out and retrieved a string of liquorice from the packet, biting into it and smiling as the taste of cherry hit his taste-buds.

"Hey guys, do you know what tomorrow is?" he asked, catching their attention. Thinking hard, Charlotte's eyes widened in surprise at her realization.

"No way. It's been a whole year already?" she asked joyfully, thus reminding Eddie of the occasion also. And to think, one year ago he'd found his dad's fear toxin, replicated it and went on to become the hero he was today. But that wasn't the occasion, it was the anniversary of the day him, Charlotte and Matt first became a team.

"I can't believe we've made it this far" Eddie said, making both Charlotte and Matt nod agreeably.

"We should have a small party or something" Charlotte suggested, exciting both her and Eddie.

"That'd be awesome. Can we, Matt?" he asked, turning to the blind man expectantly.

"Heh, sure guys. It'll be fun" he responded, getting silenced responses in return.

"Speaking of a year ago, has anybody been in contact with Batman?" Eddie asked, looking from Charlotte to Matt.

"Umm...I don't think so. I haven't heard from him ever since what happened in Arkham City" Matt replied, taking another bite out of his Twizzler.

"I heard about that. Do you think he's doing okay?" Charlotte asked, sounding concerned about about their ally.

"Don't worry, Char. I mean, c'mon. It's Batman. I'm sure he's fine" Eddie replied, placing the last of the liquorice in his mouth. However, Eddie had no idea about how wrong he was. In fact, the complete opposite of what he just said was going to happen soon enough.

**A/N: Again, extremely sorry about the long update. Give me time and I'll upload faster. Until next time, Laters. **


	3. The Case

**A/N: 'Kay, sorry for the long update. I've been caught in between writing this and writing my latest Skyrim FanFic. Check it out if you get the time. As for now, read on.**

**- Meanwhile, Arkham City, Wonder Tower II -**

Batman tapped his foot impatiently as the newly restored elevator made it's way to the top floor, slowly might I add. He couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as the recorded voice sounded over the intercom.

"_Now arriving at the Security Control Center_" the voice announced before the doors automatically slid open, allowing Batman to step into Commissioner Gordon's new base of operations. As he made his way to the center office, he looked around at the improvements that had been added since Wonder Tower's reconstruction. All around, where old computers had previously been standing, were brand new security camera operators and computer systems that were far more advanced than the old Tyger Systems. Climbing up the ladder to the upper floor, Batman walked inside the glass office, looking over to Gordon who sat behind his desk on the other side. Looking up from the multiple papers and reports, Gordon grinned at the Caped Crusader as he stood in silence.

"I was wondering when you'd arrive" Gordon greeted, not getting a hint of change in Batman's facial expression.

"I've been busy, Gordon. What did you call me here for?" he asked, spooking Gordon out. Ever sine the night of Joker's death, Batman had been acting like a completely different person. Almost as if someone completely different was hidden behind the mask. Shaking it off, Gordon led Batman over to one of the security camera monitors, multiple screens showing fragments of the immense super-prison lit up Batman's face as he awaited an explanation. Sitting in front of a single computer screen was an African-American man, he wore dark blue overalls which had the Arkham Logo imprinted on the back, the same as every other member of Gordon's team in the room. Gordon tapped the man on the shoulder, causing him to turn around in surprise. He had short, closely cut, black hair and brown eyes, which widened as he recognized the figure standing behind his boss.

"B-Batman? What...why..." he trailed off, still amazed by the Dark Knight's presence.

"Calm down, son. Tupper, Batman. Batman, Jay Tupper, our finest I.T. Expert" Gordon introduced, causing Jay to stand up and hold out his hand with a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," he said flatteringly.

"Thanks, I guess. What do you have to do with this?" Batman asked in response, making Jay's smile fade away and forcing him to lower his outstretched arm embarrassingly. Sitting back down, Jay brought up three separate windows on his screen, each revealing a different location, but all revealing footage of a mysterious figure leaping from rooftop to rooftop. It was hard to describe her due to the low quality footage, but it was a female. Looking from the footage to Gordon, Batman gestured to the screen.

"Who's this?" he asked, causing Gordon to face his direction.

"No idea" he replied bluntly, confusing Batman.

"Then why is she a problem?" he asked again, sounding slightly annoyed.

"That's the interesting part. She arrived on camera as soon as those missing person cases were reported. I think she may have something to do with them," Gordon explained, finally making things clearer for Batman. But this wasn't what Batman was focused on. Instead, he was focused on one of the multiple screens behind Jay's computer. The footage showed a prisoner running down a back street as fast as his legs could carry him, the mysterious female catching up fast.  
"When was this footage recorded?" Batman asked, turning from the screen to Jay. Confused, Jay followed his gaze and widened his eyes in shock.

"It isn't recorded. This is a live feed" he replied, now typing multiple codes into the system, causing the screen to change, showing the chase at a different angle.

"Where is this being recorded from, Tupper?" Gordon asked, leaning towards the screen to try and recognize the location.

"Umm...Park Row. Just next door to the Solomon Wayne Courthouse" Tupper answered, reading the latitude and longitude coordinates in the top left corner of the screen.

"You better hurry, Batman. That elevator will take some time getting you down there" Gordon explained, turning to face the Caped Crusader. However, once he turned around, he was surprised to see nobody there. Instantly, both him and Tupper turned to the balcony to see Batman perched on the railings.

"Don't worry, I know a shortcut" he replied, right before leaping over the edge. Not surprised, Gordon rolled his eyes. Jay however was frozen in complete amazement.

"That guy's incredible" he commented, turning to face Gordon as he headed back inside his office.

"After a while, you get used to it" he replied, sitting back down behind his desk and returning his attention to the papers covering his desk.

**- Park Row -**

The prisoner was dressed in black combat boots, white and grey camo trousers, an Arkham Prisoner Uniform with a white, puffy jacket and a black ski mask with white around the eyeholes. As you can imagine, this isn't the best type of clothing to wear when you're trying to run away from someone. Turning around he let out a cry of fear as he saw the strange woman catching up.

"Leave me alone, bitch," he cried out as he turned left, not even thinking about where he was heading. But as he turned around, his eyes widened as he reached a dead end. Looking left and right, he desperately scanned the area for an escape route. But unfortunately, he was trapped. Slowly, he turned to face his predator, his eyes full of fear and his breathing getting more and more frantic. Brushing a strand of black hair behind her ear, the woman started making her way over to the prisoner, her pencilled eyebrows narrowed seriously.

"Stay the hell back. I don't want to hurt you," the prisoner warned, right before the woman hit him straight across the face, grabbed him by the hem of his jacket and pinned him to the wall.

"Wish I could say the same, numb nuts. Now, tell me how to get into Penguin's Museum" Stainless ordered, tightening her grip on her prey's throat.

"What are you talking about?" he choked out, scared out of his wits. Groaning, Stainless reached into her jacket and retrieved one of the many knives she had stored on her person. Holding it to the prisoner's throat, he let out a cry as he felt the cold metal make contact with his flesh.

"What do you take me for? You really think I'd be able to walk through the front door without getting a bullet through my head? I know that there's another entrance somewhere, an entrance that Penguin wouldn't suspect. Tell me now or this knife gets a new paint job" Stainless replied, bringing the knife closer and closer to the prisoner's neck.

"Ugh...the roof. There's...an entrance on the roof. The Tyger Guards sealed it off when...ack...when they started building Arkham City. It leads straight to the Iceberg Lounge" he explained, gasping for air during sentences. Smiling with content, Stainless placed the knife back in her jacket and released her grip on the prisoner, allowing him to drop to the ground.

"Thanks for the info. If your boss asks, tell him I'll be visiting real soon" Stainless thanked, turning around and walking away. Unnoticed by her, the prisoner narrowed his eyes in anger and reached to a lone plank of wood beside him, lifting it with both arms as he stood back up. Running at full speed, he raised the plank above his head, ready to strike his assailant with all his might. However, before he could even utter a battle cry, Stainless retrieved the same knife from her jacket, spun around and threw it straight at him, lodging it in his forehead and causing a part of the tip to stick out of the back. Dropping the plank of wood to the ground, the prisoner fell back with a thud, his eyes rolling back inside his head as they closed shut. Smiling, Stainless headed back over to the prisoner's corpse, a crimson trail running down his face from the wound. Reaching down, Stainless pulled the knife out with one quick tug, causing a small splatter of blood to erupt from the fatal injury. Using the prisoner's coat to wipe off the blood, she placed the knife back in her jacket, all the while looking down at her latest victim with a grin. However, this grin faded as a shadow appeared on the wall beside her. Looking up to the roof, her eyes widened as Batman's presence was made known. Reacting quickly, Stainless leapt up onto a dumpster, then up onto the fire escape attached to the side of one of the buildings. Reaching the roof, she looked back at Batman with a cocky grin, turning and leaping to the next rooftop. Taking one last look at the corpse below him, Batman gave chase, leaping after his target as fast as he could. Batman had to admit; she put up a hell of a chase. After about five more rooftops, Batman was able to leap onto the same rooftop as her, reach for his Bat-Claw and fire it, causing it wrap around her leg and trip her up. Pulling her towards him, Batman glared down at her as she lay on the rooftop, rolling over onto her back to glare back at her captor.

"Who are you? And what are you doing in Arkham City?" Batman ordered gruffly, narrowing his eyes at his latest foe.

"I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise" Stainless replied, a grin spreading across her lips, which worried Batman. But before he could react, Stainless grabbed the Bat-Claw's cable from around her legs and gave it a huge tug, pulling Batman forward and causing him to stumble. As he fell forward, Stainless raised her free leg and kicked him straight in the stomach, causing him to fall beside her. Springing back onto her feet, Stainless reached for her belt and retrieved one of her twin-pistols, instantly aiming it at Batman's head as he lay on the snow-covered roof. The cold night air caused Stainless' hair to blow in the wind, revealing her narrowed eyes and evil grin from under her fringe.

"Any last words, detective?" she asked considerately. She figured he deserved that much.

"Not when I'm part of the conversation," a separate voice answered from behind her. Instantly, Stainless spun around, only to cry out in pain as a very dark green bo staff hit her straight across the jaw. Landing back on the roof, she looked up in surprise at her new assailant. He wore armored boots and gloves which were the same color as his staff, black trousers, a yellow utility belt, a red, armored shirt with a yellow R insignia, a black mask which covered the area around his eyes and a black hood which trailed down his back and ended in a short cape which blew in the wind behind him.

"Stay down" Robin ordered, an order to which she begrudgingly obliged. Holding out his hand, Robin helped the Dark Knight back up onto his feet, allowing him brush the snow off of his shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" Batman asked as he made sure that he'd removed all of the snow.

"Alfred sent me to check on you. I figured you could use some help" Robin replied, rolling his eyes at Batman's constant urge to work alone.

"I was doing fine by myself. You shouldn't be here, Robin. It's not safe" Batman told his young, apprentice, crossing his arms sternly.

"You need to stop worrying about me. I can handle myse-" Robin replied before letting out a scream of pain, doubling over and falling to his knees. Worried about his companion's well being, Batman knelt down to see what was wrong. It was then that he noticed the bloodied knife sticking out of Robin's upper leg. Turning to face Stainless, Batman noticed that she was looking another direction. Following her gaze, Batman looked across to a higher rooftop to see a different figure looking back at them. He had a slim build with broad shoulders and had closely cropped auburn hair with the same golden eyes as Stainless. From the neck down, he wore a brown leather jacket with a black jumper underneath, plain jeans and steel toe-capped boots. From his distance, Batman saw a flicker of metal underneath his jacket, which obviously meant that he carried an arsenal of blades also. Before he could react, Stainless stood back up and ran to the end of the roof, took a giant leap and grabbed hold of the edge of the opposite building. Instantly, the new threat grabbed Stainless' hand and pulled her up onto the roof, allowing her to stand beside him.

"What took you so long?" Stainless asked, crossing her arms disappointingly.

"You know I like to make an entrance. Now lets get the hell out of here" the man replied, nodding to yet another rooftop. Catching on, Stainless followed him as they made their way from rooftop to rooftop until they disappeared out of sight. If it weren't for Robin, Batman would've gone after them. But he knew that his companion's life was much more important. Looking to his left, he spotted a church spire a couple of blocks away. The Medical Center of Arkham City.

**- Medical Center -**

M.P.T. Eddie Burlow stood by the church door, his machine gun loaded and ready for combat. That is, if there WAS any combat. Ever since Gordon took charge, there had been fewer attacks on the church and the surrounding areas. And Eddie had to admit, even thought it was peaceful, he missed a bit of action every now and then. His partner, William North, stood on the other side of the sealed door, leaning against a post with a bored look on his face.

"Are you bored too?" Burlow asked, attracting the attention of his colleague.

"Heh, you bet. Its almost like, when Sharp left, he took all the excitement with him" North replied, getting a chuckle out of his associate.

"Don't get your hopes up. Its not as if an adventure is going to knock on the door out of the blue" Burlow explained, seconds before a loud knocking noise came from the other side of the church door. Raising their guns, both guards focused on the door, ready to take on any threat that could've been outside.

"Who's there?" Burlow called out, narrowing his eyes ruthlessly.

"It's me! Open up!" a deep voice ordered, causing both guards to widen their eyes.

"Batman? Open the door" North ordered, making Burlow run to the lever and pull it, causing the reinforced steel shutter to open up. But before either guard could reach for the handle, the door flew open revealing a heart-stopping sight. Batman stood in the doorway, gasping for breath with sweat dripping down his forehead. Swung over his shoulder was Robin's arm, Batman had helped him all the way to the Church. As Batman led him into the building, Robin gasped out in pain as the knife cut deeper into his nerves with every limp.

"He needs medical attention! Now!" Batman ordered, attracting the attention of multiple medics. Instantly, they wheeled a stretcher over to the wounded hero and assisted in helping him onto it face down, being careful not to move the knife anymore. With them was a woman wearing an Arkham Guard's Uniform. She had long black hair pulled back in a ponytail with a long strand hanging over her left eye, both of her ears were pierced and she had mascara-clad, green eyes. Looking down at the wound with a calm yet nervous expression, she looked back up at her colleagues.

"He's lost a lot of blood, I'll need to start operating right away. I need gloves, antiseptic, a tray and bandages, stat" she barked, causing some of the medics to scurry away to get the equipment she required, whilst the rest wheeled Robin behind an operating curtain to the left of the chamber. Batman followed close behind, fearing for his ward's life. Soon enough, the rest of the medical team returned with the materials she required, placing them on a metal trolley beside the stretcher.

"Okay, I'm going to need some space. So, unless you're dressed like a bat, clear out" the woman ordered, getting nods from her team as a response before they dispersed. Quickly, the woman studied Robin's injury, judging how deep the blade had gone. Placing on the gloves provided, she looked down at Robin's face.

"Robin, this is going to hurt a little. Okay?" she asked, trying to comfort the Boy Wonder.

"Okay" he replied, closing his eyes and waiting for the pain to strike. Slowly, Fiona reached for the knife and slowly started removing it from Robin's anatomy. All the while, Robin took in a deep breath through gritted teeth, silently praying for the pain to stop soon. Soon enough, the blade was out and Fiona placed it in the metal tray on top of the trolley.

"How bad is it?" Batman asked, standing beside her as she evaluated the damage.

"Well, whoever stabbed him, they didn't want him dead. The knife hasn't cut through any major arteries and the torn muscles should heal easily" she replied, looking back at Batman with a grin. He couldn't help but notice this.

"Have we met before?" he asked, causing the medic to roll her eyes.

"I was wondering when you'd catch up. I'm Fiona Wilson, Chief Medical officer. I was here on the night Joker died" she replied, making Batman think back to the night in question.

"You really don't remember? You saved my life back in Wonder City?" Fiona reminded, causing Batman to remember the events perfectly.

**- Seven Months Ago -**

"Well, look what we got here? What's up, doc?" the first inmate asked jokingly, scratching at the back of his shaved head as he gazed down at the traumatized intern. Slowly, Fiona looked up at the three inmates surrounding her, her cheeks streaked with tears.

"Please don't hurt me," she begged, breathing quietly, worried about what might happen if she made a loud sound. Then, the first inmate knelt down in front of her, a twisted grin spread across his lips.

"Oh, we ain't gonna hurt you, sweetie. Not a pretty little thing like you" he said, pronouncing the last sentence with an off-putting tone.

"Please, I'm an intern. I don't know what's going on here," she explained, allowing yet another tear to join the others as they fell through the grating she knelt upon.

"Can I have her?" the second inmate asked curiously, with a hint of excitement creeping into his tone. However, this inquiry caused Fiona's heart to skip a beat fearfully.

"No, you got the last one. Get the rest of the guns out and stack 'em up over there. We're on a schedule here," the first inmate ordered, pointing over to the crates that were chock full of advanced weapons, similar to the ones each guard was holding.

"What are these things?" the second inmate asked again, gesturing to the strange device strapped to his back, which included a large antenna.

"Military Grade Interference Generators. Best money can buy. These babies screw with all electronic equipment in their vicinity. Now, stop yapping and get moving," he ordered with more authority. Obeying, the second inmate walked over to the crate and picked it up, carrying it over to the other crates soon afterward.

"Man, she looks scared" a different voice commented. Looking up, Fiona glanced up at the third inmate. He was African-American with a small Afro, his eyes showing a light flicker of concern.

"She's all alone down here with us. She should be scared. We're not nice people" the first inmate replied, giving Fiona an irritated look, mentally ordering her to look back down at the ground.

"Oh God. Please, I can't fix him. Please let me go," she sobbed, looking up the best she could. However, from her position, all Fiona could see was their feet, all clad in military boots.

"Sorry, doc. You're ours now. Just do me a favor: Don't try to run. I'd hate to have to punish you. You've got such a pretty face," the first inmate threatened, once again adding an off-putting tone to his voice.

"Yeah, you don't want a bullet going through it" an idiotic voice replied, obviously meaning that the second inmate had returned. Fiona watched as a third pair of boots walked in front of her, causing her heartbeat to rapidly increase.

"Me, I favor the hammer. More personal, you know. You can feel every blow. Understand the complexity of the human body as it's deconstructed into a primordial sludge," the first inmate told darkly, but this wasn't what Fiona was focused on. Whilst the first inmate had been talking, the second inmate's boots had lifted up off of the ground, almost like somebody had lifted him up.

"That's deep, man. I had you all wrong. I was told you just liked hitting people with hammers" the third inmate replied, catching the attention of the first inmate.

"Who told you that?" the first inmate asked angrily, turning to face the third inmate. Using this distraction to her advantage, Fiona looked up to see Batman perched upon a gargoyle, the second inmate hanging from it by a cable, his body motionless and his generator back-pack broken. Quietly, Batman raised a finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet. Nodding, Fiona lowered her head back to the ground, using her point of view to look at the feet of the inmates.

"No one" the third inmate replied, shaking his head nervously.

"Tell me. Tell me which miserable piece of worthless crap needs a talkin' to" the first inmate ordered, stroking the trigger of his gun in a threatening manner. As he did so, Fiona quickly glanced to down through the grate she knelt upon to see Batman silently taking down another inmate on the lower level. Once his target was unconscious, Batman launched his Bat-Claw at a gargoyle and grappled up to it, perching on the head so he could observe the area.

"I don't know, man. I can't remember" the third inmate insisted, backing away from the first inmate fearfully. However, just when he thought he'd crossed the line, a smile appeared on the first inmate's face, right before he let out a chuckle.

"I'm just screwin' with you. You okay, doc? You don't look too good" the first inmate asked, redirecting his gaze to Fiona. Then, without warning, a loud thud caused the grated floor shake briefly. Fiona watched from her position as a second pair of feet, engulfed in heavy, black body armor came into view making their way over to the inmates. Closing her eyes in fear, Fiona listened intently as the sound of gunfire and screaming filled her ears, soon followed by the sounds of grunting and crashing. As the sounds faded away, she opened her eyes and looked up to see Batman standing over her, his shadow covering her petrified form.

"Hold on" Batman ordered, holding out his hand to her. Fiona reached back and took a hold of it, allowing Batman to help her to her feet. After, Batman wrapped his arms around her waist and retrieved his Bat-Claw from his belt, launching it at a gargoyle. As they flew through the air, a familiar voice echoed over the intercom, a voice they both knew well, the voice of the Joker.

"_Well, that's just great. Here I am on my deathbed and you miserable fools can't even stop some idiot dressed like a bat. I needed those guns. Now how am I going to...oops, sorry, Bats. I nearly gave it away there, didn't I?_" he said, the last sentence confusing both Batman and Fiona as the landed in an old room high above the scene. Placing Fiona down on the wooden floor, Batman released his grip on her, allowing her to regain her footing.

"Thank you" she conveyed, taking in deep breaths.

"What are you doing in Arkham City?" Batman asked, causing Fiona's eyes to widen.

"I'm in Arkham City? What the hell am I doing here? I was grabbed outside the hospital I intern at. They drugged me and I woke up in a building up there," she explained, gesturing her hand at the empty elevator shaft, which led up to Wonder Tower.

"The person in charge here has been rounding up doctors to try to fix Joker. Looks like you were unlucky" Batman replied, emphasizing the severity of the situation.

"He's dying, right?" Fiona asked, referring to what the she'd just heard over the intercom.

"It seems that way" Batman replied bluntly, not showing signs of emotion whatsoever. To be fair, Fiona couldn't blame him.

"Is it wrong not to feel bad about that? What now?" she asked, hoping to get out of this deathtrap as soon as possible.

"You need to stay here. Keep out of sight and you'll be fine. I'll be back" Batman finished, leaping out of the opening and back down on the ground, leaving Fiona alone in the ramshackle room.

**- Now -**

"That was you? Sorry, I didn't remember" Batman apologized, getting a grin out of Fiona.

"No problem. I'm sure you can't keep track of everybody you save" she replied, getting a small smile from the Dark Knight as she started to wrap the bandage around Robin's wound. Reaching into her belt, she retrieved a pin and put it through the bandage, holding it in place. Fiona reached forward and helped Robin sit back up, allowing him to observe his injury.

"I'm all done. But you may have trouble walking for a while, so I'd lay off fighting crime" she explained, getting a worried expression from the red-clad sidekick.

"For how long?" Robin asked, a tone of fright creeping into his voice.

"Judging by the damage to your muscle tissue, I'd say...about two or three weeks" Fiona replied, causing the hero's heart to sink. Noticing his ward's sadness, Batman instantly stepped in.

"Are you sure? Won't it heal sooner?" he asked, trying to find some away around this problem.

"I'm sorry, Batman. But unless Robin takes a time out, he could damage his muscle tissue even more" Fiona replied gravely, making Robin let out a sigh of disappointment. Batman gave his sidekick a comforting pat on the back, knowing how broken he was feeling.

"Is he free to go?" Batman asked, looking back at Fiona.

"Sure, just make sure that he doesn't apply too much pressure to that leg" she replied, allowing Batman to help his ward down from the stretcher. Putting Robin's hand over his shoulder, Batman helped him to the ground. However, before they could leave, Batman grabbed the knife from the metal tray and looked back at Fiona.

"Mind if I take this?" he asked, holding it up for her to see.

"Be my guest" she replied, her arms crossed. And with that, Batman exited into the night, his injured ward at his side.

**- The Bat-Cave -**

Alfred turned the corner to see Bruce Wayne sitting at the Bat-Computer, his mask removed; yet still wearing his costume from the neck down. His fingers were swiftly moving from key to key, obviously working on something important. Beside him, on a different chair, was Tim Drake, his hood was pulled down, his mask had been removed, yet he was still wearing his costume in the same style as Batman.

"Have you been able to find some information on your latest adversaries, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked, standing beside Tim's chair.

"I think I have a lead, Alfred. Those fingerprints on the knife belong to only one person" Bruce replied, bringing up a prison mugshot of the same woman he'd been chasing on the roof.

"Who is she?" Tim asked, glancing up at the image on the screen.

"Her name's Amber Brand. Her parents died when she was twelve, so she was placed in an orphanage along with her older brother Jack. They ran away a couple of weeks later and joined the Gotham City Circus" Bruce explained, reading her info as it scrolled down the screen.

"Just like Dick?" Tim asked, remembering where the original Robin, Dick Grayson, grew up.

"Yes, they trained in throwing projectiles with superb accuracy until they could hit a fly from three yards with a needle. Their act consisted of many tricks involving throwing knifes to each other, throwing them in the air and catching them in their teeth, but for the finale, they would take a volunteer from the audience and tie them to a pole with rope. Then, they would place an apple on their head and each throw a knife at the audience member. One knife would cut the apple in half, the other would cut the audience member's rope" Bruce continued, stunning Tim.

"And they did it right every time?" he asked, turning from the screen to Bruce.

"Not one mistake. Pretty soon, their act became more and more popular..." he trailed off, opening a window on the screen. It showed an old newspaper article with a headline that read:

**YOUNG DAREDEVILS AMAZE CIRCUS CROWDS**

Aside the article beneath it was a photograph depicting a younger Amber dressed in a white leotard. Beside her stood a boy who resembled the same person who'd thrown the knife at Tim's leg, except he wore a black leotard.

"...until finally, they became the circus's headliner" Bruce continued, bringing up a secondary window. This one showed a poster for the circus, on the front, standing back to back, were Amber and Jack, each brandishing a blade as the words:

**STAINLESS AND STEEL**

**PERFORMING EVERY NIGHT**

**8PM TO 10PM**

glowed beneath them. Closing the window, Batman brought up Amber's info once more.

"They looked like they were set for life. What happened to them?" Tim asked with concern.

"One night, right before their performance...

**- Before -**

"What do you mean by 'you're letting us go'?" Teenage Jack asked angrily as Teenage Amber held her hands over her mouth, still in shock about the news she'd just been given. The ringleader however just stood there, a sly grin spreading from under his handlebar mustache.

"I mean, your act's lost it's...pizzazz. People are getting tired of the same old thing; they want something more entertaining, more dramatic. And you two are just putting them to sleep" he replied, pointing his cane at both of them.

"B-but...you c-can't. This is our h-home" Amber begged, tears slowly starting to pour down her cheeks. Seeing this, the ringleader just rolled his eyes unsympathetically.

"I'm sorry, kids. But after tonight's performance, you two are out of here" he replied, turning to walk away. But before he could get far enough, Jack grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around.

"What makes you think that I'll perform tonight after you made my sister cry?" he asked through gritted teeth. Smiling with smugness, the ringleader shoved his cane against Jack's chest, knocking him to the ground.  
"Because, if you don't, your little sister will pay the price," he replied coldly, sending chills down both Amber and Jack's spines.

"Now, get out there and give them the best performance of their lives" he finished, tipping his top hat to them as he walked away. Helping her brother to his feet, Amber let the tears go. Embracing her comfortingly, Jack rubbed her back, glaring at the ringleader as he walked away.

"What are we going to do, Jack? We can't go back to that horrible orphanage," Amber sobbed, wiping the final tears away from her red, puffy eyes.  
"Don't worry, sis. I've got a plan" Jack replied, a smile spreading across his lips.

"W-what do you mean?" Amber replied, confused at her brother's sudden burst of happiness. Almost as if he'd ignored everything she said, Jack reached for his belt and retrieved his knife, scaring Amber slightly.

"He wants a show that people will never forget? We'll give him one" he replied, turning his head in the direction which the ringleader had exited.

**- Now -**

"...and that's when things turned from bad to worse. For their finale, instead of inviting an audience member, they invited the ringleader" Bruce explained, turning to face Tim.

"Let me guess, they didn't miss their target?" he asked, predicting what had happened.  
"Exactly, they were arrested for the ringleader's murder afterward and placed in Arkham Asylum" Bruce finished, looking back up at the screen.

"What happened after that?" Tim asked, wanting to know the aftermath.

"They were among the inmates Sharp had planned to send to Arkham City. But before they could be escorted, they escaped and went missing" Bruce explained, rubbing his chin curiously.

"But why would Miss Brand reappear now after all this time?" Alfred asked, scaring both Bruce and Tim. They'd been so caught up in the conversation that they'd forgotten he was even there.

"They must've been planning something big. When I asked Amber before, she said that she didn't want to ruin the surprise" he explained, recalling the events of that night.

"Well, whatever they're doing, we have to stop them" Tim insisted, slamming his hand on the desk.

"No. You can't do anything with your leg in that condition" Bruce replied sternly, causing Tim to sigh with irritation.

"Then what are you going to do? Nightwing's working a case in Metropolis" he asked, causing a small grin to spread across Bruce's lips.

"Alfred, we'll need to call in the army," he said, getting a solemn nod from his butler, yet confusing Tim even more.

"Isn't calling in the military taking it a bit too far?" he asked, causing Bruce's grin to widen even more.

"I was thinking of a different army" he replied.

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the long update, I've been busy with college preparations and stuff. I'll update as soon as possible, just give me time. Laters. **


	4. I am Azrael

**A/N: Sorry for the long update. I've been working between stories. Anyways, read on.**

**- The Next Day -**

Matt pushed open the door to his lawyer firm, attracting the attention to his secretary, Karen Page.

"Morning, Mr. Murdock" she greeted, causing a grin to spread across his lips. He could always use Karen's cheeriness to perk him up in the morning.

"Morning, Karen. Are there any messages?" he asked as he removed his blazer and put it on the coat rack beside him.

"Well, Mary Hartford called to thank you on her case" Karen said, checking the sticky notes which were applied to the edges of her computer screen.

"If she calls again, tell her she's welcome" Matt said, walking past Karen and heading over to his desk.

"And also, you've got a message from Wayne Enterprises" Karen continued, causing Matt to stop dead in his tracks.

"What do they want?" he asked, not even turning his head to face her.

"They didn't say, but somebody wants you there at twelve o'clock" Karen finished, causing Matt to reach up to his braille embossed watch. Running his fingers over the bumps and craters, he was able to read the time that the hands were pointing to.

"_It's eleven-thirty now_" Matt thought as he headed back over to the coat rack and retrieved his blazer.

"Tell Foggy that I'll be back soon" Matt instructed before heading back out of the door.

**- Jessica's Coffee Place -**

As Charlotte entered the establishment, she smiled as she saw Clea behind the counter, wiping it down.

"Hey" she greeted, attracting the attention of the teenager waitress.

"Morning" Clea replied as Charlotte approached her.

"Can you tell Jessica that I'll be back soon?" Charlotte asked, making Clea raise an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously.

"Nothing. I just got a call this morning after she left, telling me to come to Wayne Enterprises today" Charlotte explained.

"Wayne Enterprises? Where Eddie works?" Clea asked, suggesting that he might have something to do with it.

"Yeah, do you think he's in trouble or something?" Charlotte asked in response, fearing for her sibling.

"Oh c'mon, what kind of trouble could Eddie be in that he can't get out of himself?" Clea asked a third time, a small grin on her lips.

**- With Eddie -**

The sound of wind filled Eddie's ears as him and his two squad-members quietly moved through the desolated streets of the desert town. All around, there were abandoned, sandstone houses, totaled cars and corpses of his former teammates, each riddled with bullets, their firearms lying at their sides. In his arms, Eddie held a CAR-15 Carbine Rifle, using its enhanced scope to survey the area for signs of enemies.

"Anybody see anything?" Eddie asked, turning back to his squad, looks of fear plastered on their faces.

"Not yet," one of them replied, "Any ide-

BANG!

Eddie and the remaining squad member recoiled in horror as a bullet flew straight through his head. As his lifeless body dropped to the ground, Eddie and the other squad member exchanged horrified looks.

"What the fu-

BANG!

Eddie let out a yelp of fear as a second bullet took out his last ally, killing him instantly. He started surveying the area for signs of movement, only for his eyes to widen in fear as he saw a sniper on top of one of the sand buildings. Reacting quickly, Eddie dove behind one of the wrecked cars, just in time to hear the bullet ricochet off of the rusting metal.

"Screw you, Eddie. That was my last sniper round" Harper yelled from the roof, throwing away his emptied weapon and retrieving his SPAS-15 shotgun. Checking their ammo, both boys smiled as they saw that their guns were fully loaded. Harper leapt down from the roof, landing on a car below and smashing its windscreen in the process. Hearing the glass shatter, Eddie peaked out from his cover and opened fire on his opponent, the deafening sound of gunfire filling his ears. On impulse, Harper started running for his life, firing blindly at Eddie as his did so. Running behind the wall of a building, Harper started taking in deep breaths, slowly peeking round the corner to see what Eddie was doing. Sure enough, Eddie had left his cover and was carefully making his way over to Harper's location. Grinning evilly, Harper rolled out from his hiding place and opened fire, hitting Eddie straight in the leg. Eddie screamed out in pain as he hit the floor, a small pool of blood starting to form around his wound. Chuckling, Harper strolled over to Eddie mockingly, aiming the barrel of his gun at Eddie's head.

"Any last words, buddy?" he asked, watching with happiness as Eddie squirmed in pain.

"Yeah, never give me last words" he replied, right before raising his good leg and kicking Harper straight in the knee, accompanied by a sickening crack. Harper fell back to the ground, causing his gun to slide across the sandy ground, out of reach. Painfully regaining his footing, Eddie retrieved a small pistol from his belt, aiming it straight at Harper, mirroring their previous position.

"Hasta la vista, Harper" Eddie finished before pulling the trigger.

"DAMMIT!" Harper explained as the words 'MISSION FAILED' appeared on his computer screen, just as Eddie let out a celebratory whoop. Sticking his head over the wall separating their cubicles, Eddie couldn't help but mock.

"In your face" he said, getting a look of pure irritation from his fallen opponent.

"Shut up, my keyboard was on the fritz" Harper said, making up a horrible excuse.

"Hey, if you're going to lose, lose with dignity. Don't blame the innocent keyboard" Eddie responded, sticking up for the inanimate object. Dropping back down into his desk chair, the sound of ringing from his headset made him jump again.

"_Why can't this thing have a silent mode?_" he thought as he reached up to the answer button.

"This is Tech Support, you're talking to Eddie, how can I help you?" he asked, leaning back in the chair.

"_Eddie, you're needed up in Conference Room C_" a familiar voice asked, catching Eddie's interest.

"Who is this?" he asked, trying to remember where he'd heard this voice before.

"_Just be up here in five minutes_" the voice finished before the dial tone filled Eddie's ears. Confused, Eddie removed his headset, placed it on the computer desk and got up out of his chair.

**- Conference Room C -**

Eddie slowly pushed the door open, raising his eyes at the room's inhabitants. Sitting at the long table was a man dressed in a smart suit with sunglasses, across from him was a teenage girl with bright orange hair.

"Charlotte? Matt? What are you guys doing here?" Eddie asked, walking over to them and taking a seat beside Charlotte.

"We were going to ask you the same question" Matt replied, sounding as curious as Eddie was. But before anybody else could speak, the door opened again, revealing Bruce Wayne.

"Bruce? What are you doing here?" Charlotte asked as Bruce locked the door behind him. Walking over to them, he sat beside Matt, glancing at each person as he did so.

"Is there something wrong?" Matt asked, sensing an increase in Bruce's heartbeat.

"I need your help" Bruce stated bluntly, surprising his acquaintances. It was one thing for Bruce to invite them all here, but now he wanted their help?

"YOU need our help?" Eddie asked, still in complete awe over what he'd just heard. After a brief silence, Bruce let out a sigh.

"I'm sure you've all heard of Arkham City, am I right?" Bruce asked, getting nods from each person around him.

"Has something happened there?" Matt asked, furrowing his eyebrows curiously.

"Yes, something bad. And I can't stop without your help" Bruce insisted, giving off a serious look.

"Why do you need our help? Why can't Robin or Nightwing help you?" Charlotte suggested, causing Bruce to lower his head.

"Nightwing's working a case in Metropolis and…Robin got injured" he stated, shocking everybody in the room.

"What happened?" Eddie asked, concerned about the Boy Wonder.

"Two people have arrived in Arkham City. Last night, I tried to fight one of them, but the other one hurt Robin. They need to be stopped as soon as possible" Bruce continued, narrowing his eyes. At once, each member of Satan's Army exchanged definite looks.

"If you need our help this badly, we're with you all the way" Matt reassured, getting a smile from the billionaire vigilante.

"Start packing and be in Gotham by tomorrow. I'm sure you'll be able to think of clever excuses" Bruce assumed, getting grins from each person in the room.

"Don't worry, Bruce. Satan's Army is at your service" Eddie replied positively.

**- Later -**

"Arkham City? You can't be serious" Clea said as she poured Eddie a cup of coffee. As he usually did, Eddie had come to see her on his way home from work, always ordering a cup of coffee. However, he'd made the huge mistake of telling her where he would be heading the next day.

"C'mon, what's so bad about it?" Eddie asked before taking a sip of his beverage.

"Have you only just heard of it? Don't you remember all that stuff that happened there? All those people who died? Wonder Tower blowing up? Those missile strikes?" Clea said, mentally listing each flaw of the super prison.

"I've gone face to face with Joker without blinking? And NOW you're worried about me? I can handle myself in tough situations, Clea. I'm not the same sappy little kid you first met in high school" Eddie reassured, grinning and bringing the coffee to his lips once more.

"It's not just that. I…I've heard about the people they have in that prison. All those psychos from Arkham?" Clea reminded, leaning on the counter in front of Eddie.

"Yeah, so what? That just means I have more asses to kick" he reminded comically. Clea rolled her eyes at this, they'd been together for just over a year and he still treated everything like a joke.

"I'm serious. There are people there who could really hurt you. There are people there who…well…knew your dad" she said, causing Eddie's eyes to widen. Slowly placing his coffee back on the counter, he remembered the horrible news that he'd heard not so long ago. About the mass breakout at Arkham Asylum, his dad killing all those people and how he got dragged into the sewer by Killer Croc. Just like before, the G.C.P.D. came and informed them, but Eddie couldn't face it. His dad had survived before, he could survive again. However, as the months went on and there was no sign of Scarecrow, Eddie's hopes had slowly begun to fade, leaving him in an unnameable state which had puzzled his friends. Well, those who knew his secret anyway. After a minute of dead silence, Clea continued, fearing the consequences of what she'd just said.

"I'm sorry, Eddie. But you know I'm right. What if the people in there know who you are? What if they use your dad against you or something? What if they're stronger than you? I…I wouldn't be able to stand hearing that you die-"

"Be quiet" Eddie cut off, shocking his girlfriend. Eddie had never done anything like that in front of her before. Realizing what he'd just done, Eddie looked up at Clea, fear and regret brimming in his expression.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know what I…I…I'm just…sorry" Eddie apologized before resting his head on the table and his hair tightly. Sighing, Clea leaned in and caressed the back of Eddie's head lovingly.

"No, I'm sorry. I was…overreacting. You're right, you'll be just fine" she said, causing Eddie to raise his head again and look into her eyes.

"You really think so?" Eddie asked, a small, barely noticeable smile appearing on his lips.

"I know so" Clea replied before leaning in and giving him a peck on the cheek.

"And besides, if worse comes to worst, you'll have Daredevil and Raven to back you up" she continued, causing Eddie to let out an amused breath.

"Well, that's reassuring" he said sarcastically.

"I love you too" Clea joked, pulling him in for another kiss.

**- Later that night, Arkham City, Finnigan's Bar -**

On a normal night, Finnigan's was usually filled with brawling patrons, loud rock music, people playing darts and the occasional gunshot. However, this wasn't a normal night. Almost every patron had crowded around one of the booths due to the poker game being held at that time. One of the players was an inmate, his head shaved and his face scarred. His opponent was different though. You see, he didn't dress like a normal inmate. He wore black boots, jeans, a grey t-shirt, a black, biker jacket and wore a crimson motorcycle helmet, hiding his face from prying eyes. In the middle of the table were the items they were betting with. Since money was technically worthless in Arkham City, the inmates had to use other means of currency. Mainly consisting of ammunition or illegal substances. They'd been playing for over an hour and people were anxiously waiting for the final hands. The inmate who was playing glanced up at his opponent, trying to see through the tinted visor to make out any sign of a poker face. It was now or never. He had to place down his cards. Causing every onlooker to hold their breath, he revealed his hand. He had a ten of spades, a ten of hearts, a ten of diamonds, a four of spades and a four of diamonds. In other words: a Full House. Instantly, every patron turned to face the man in the hood, his unseen facial expression making the game more and more intense. Placing his hand on the table, each patron gasped at the hand he'd placed down. A seven of hearts, a six of hearts, a five of hearts, a four of hearts and a three of hearts: a Straight Flush. His opponent held his head in his hands as every spectator congratulated the man in the helmet. On impulse, the victor collected his winning from the center of the table, attaching the various ammunition clips and hand grenades to his belt. However, as he got up to leave, his opponent called after him.

"Two out of three?" he suggested, desperate to get back his goodies.

"Sorry, Peewee. Places to go, people to see" the victor replied, his voice muffled under his helmet. Unnoticed by him, his opponent's expression had changed from sad to angry. He quickly reached into the back of his Arkham Prisoner Uniform and retrieved a small handgun, aiming it at the stranger as he headed for the door. However, as he cocked the gun, the sound caught the stranger's attention. Quick as a flash, the stranger pulled out one of his twin pistols, spun around and pulled the trigger, the gunshot hurting the ears of every patron. There was a long silence, amidst the sound or ringing, as the stranger's opponent slumped back in the booth, a bullet hole straight through his chest and a splatter of blood on the back of the leather seat. Placing his gun back in his its holster, his eyes glanced to each of the patrons, still frozen in fear over what he'd just done.

"Consider this a warning: I hate cheaters" he forewarned, causing each patron to go about their business like he was never there. Knowing that he'd made his point, the stranger continued to exit the pub, heading out into the night. Heading down the empty road, the stranger placed his hand in his pockets, trying his best to protect them from the cold winds lashing at them. Looking further ahead, the bright light from the Monarch Theater lit up the end of the street. But this isn't what caught his attention. Leaning on the railing outside the theater was Stainless, eyeing the stranger curiously.

"Can I help you?" he asked, noticing her ogling. Smiling contently, Stainless leapt over the railing, landing on the lower street before walking over to him.

"I've heard of you. Red Hood, right?" she asked, getting closer and closer. Noticing this, Red Hood slowly started to walk in a circle.

"Who wants to know?" he asked in response. At this point, Stainless had caught on to his little game and mirrored his actions until they were both standing in the street, walking in the same circle path as one another.

"Most people call me Stainless, but you can call me Amber" she greeted in a friendly tone, trying to sound alluring. Red Hood got a little nervous; this seemed a little too friendly. Slowly, Red Hood put his hands behind his back, reaching for the cylinder-shaped device on the back of his belt.

"And what can I do for you, Amber?" he asked, trying to stay calm and not give the game away.

"I have a little proposition for you, Red" Stainless continued, giving him a new nickname, yet completely unaware of his actions.

"I'm listening" Red Hood stated, wrapping his thumb around the pin on the device.

"My brother and I have a little surprise planned for the people of Gotham, something that'll REALLY blow their minds" Stainless explained, a grin spread across her lips.

"Can you tell me this plan?" Red Hood asked curiously, hoping to get some info on his latest acquaintance.

"Sorry, no spoilers. As I was saying, we have a plan and we could really use your help" Stainless continued, causing Red Hood's eyes to narrow behind his helmet's visor.

"Why would you need my help?" he asked, his tone filled to the brim with ire. Hearing this, Stainless could tell that this guy would be a tough nut to crack.

"I've seen what you can do, you have a great aim, you know your way around the city and I bet you could handle yourself in a fight. So, what do you say?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing a little to connote her growing irritation.

"Sorry, Amber. I ride solo" Red Hood apologized weakly, causing a look of anger to spread across Stainless' face as she reached for her belt. When her hand reappeared, she had one of her pistols in her grip, her finger tightening around the trigger. Freezing, Red Hood watched with anticipation, preparing for the worst.

"Well then, I guess you're no longer needed, Red" Stainless suggested, getting ready to end his life.  
"Guess again, bitch" he countered, pulling the pin out of the object in his grasp. Seeing his hands move, Stainless pulled the trigger, launching the bullet overhead Red Hood as he ducked down. Hearing the bullet hit the wall behind him, Red Hood rolled the black cylinder over to her, causing her to gasp as she recognized it: an M84 stun grenade. She shielded her face as the while flash blinded her and the ringing in her ears caused her to lose balance. As her vision slowly returned, Stainless rolled over onto her knees and slowly stood back up, briefly stumbling as the ringing in her ears subsided. Blinking as her eyes readjusted to the dark street she stood in, she looked up and down the street, trying to catch a glimpse of her target. Seeing no sign of him, Stainless picked her pistol up off the ground and placed it back in its holster irritably.

"Go ahead, Red. Run! We'll find you!" she shouted pointlessly, unaware if he could hear her or not. Letting out a breath of cold air, Stainless spun on her heel and began making her way back home. At least, that's what it was to her.

**- With Red Hood -**

"_Home sweet home_" Red Hood thought as he entered the dusty room, closing the door behind him with a gentle slam. It wasn't as bad as he thought; it had a mattress in the corner, a large crate that he used as a table for his multiple weapons, a rusty, yet working sink and a window which gave him a perfect view of Arkham City from the abandoned apartment building he'd been camping in. Pulling off his helmet, Red Hood let out a breath of exhaustion as the face of Jason Todd was revealed. Throwing his helmet onto the mattress, Jason ran a hand through his sweat drenched, brown hair before heading over to the sink. Turning on the tap, he bent over and started splashing the water onto his face, letting out a breath of ease as he felt the liquid roll down his cheeks and back into the porcelain bowl. Above the sink was a mirror, it was old but it still worked. Looking into it, Jason moved his hair out of the way, revealing a small scar to the left of his forehead, a memento from his previous encounter with a group of Two-Face's boys. Realizing that he'd left the faucet running, Jason reached down and turned the tap, ceasing the water flow. However, as he looked back at the mirror, his eyes widened as he saw a figure standing by the now open window, letting the cold outside air swagger in. Reaching for his belt, Jason pulled out one of his pistols and aimed it at the intruder, making sure that he wouldn't try anything stupid.

"I take it you're not used to guests" the figure guessed in a deep, mysterious voice as he closed the window behind him, sounding surprisingly calm due to the situation he was in.

"Or intruders" Jason corrected, his gun still aimed at the trespasser.

"I'm not here to fight, Jason. I just want to talk" the stranger reassured, slowly raising a hand in defense. Reluctantly, Jason lowered his gun and placed it back in its holster.

"I don't know why I should trust you. Hell, I don't even know who you are" he disclosed, crossing his arms and leaning back on the sink.

"I am Azrael, loyal servant to the order of St. Dumas" the figure greeted, stepping out of the darkness to reveal his form. He wore a strange suit which was mostly made of body armor, but partially made of rags. On his wrists, he wore metal gauntlets, each with a different, yet equally peculiar attachment welded on. His face was hidden by a red mask with a matching hood.

"Doesn't ring any bells. Onto a more pressing matter, why are you here? And how do you know my name anyway?" Jason asked, heading over to his weapon crate and placing his pistols on top, showing that he was no longer armed.

"I know a lot of things, your name just happened to be one of them. And I'm here to warn you" Azrael continued, catching Jason's attention once more. Slowly, Jason headed back over to the sink, his eyes still fixed on Azrael.

"Warn me about what?" he asked, suddenly regretting that he'd left his guns on the crate. For all he knew, this could've been a trap.

"The Order has predicted an event which will happen very soon. An event which will have unseen consequences" Azrael continued gravely, barely frightening gun-toting vigilante.

"If it has unseen consequences, then how come you think it's a bad thing?" Jason asked, curious about these ostensible predictions.

"Because we have seen echoes of the future, brief images of things to come" Azrael explained, looking out of the window and gazing out at the incalculable super-prison.

"What did you see? And what does any of it have to do with me?" Jason asked once more, starting to get vexed. As Azrael continued, he raised his arm to the window, leaning against the glass as he continued to stare into the abyss known as Arkham City.

"We saw the devil battling an abomination, a widow going to war, the sky bursting into flames and the death of a hero" he revealed, confusing Jason even further.

"First, that sounds like bullshit. And second, you still haven't told me how I'm a part of it" he exclaimed, feeling like he could punch this guy at any moment. Without even turning to look at him, Azrael responded with a question.

"Why did you hide yourself from him?" he asked, causing Jason to freeze.

"What…what are you talking about?" he asked, starting to stammer.

"Why did you hide yourself from Batman? I know you were his ward a long time ago, but he still thinks you're dead, doesn't he?" Azrael continued, causing Jason's face to twist into a look of anger.

"You have no right to bring that up!" he yelled, pointing his finger at the mysterious character.

"He knows your new alias though. He's been trying to find you for a while now, wanting to know who you really are and why you're in Arkham City in the first place. Why won't you tell him who you are?" Azrael continued, turning to face Jason. But to his surprise, Jason headed over to him, grabbed him by the throat and pushed him up against the window, cracking the glass.

"If you're trying to get yourself killed, there are other ways to do it" he threatened through gritted teeth, his rage literally seething behind his eyes.

"Yes, like throttling the man who could kill you before you even had time to scream" Azrael replied with a threat of his own. Calming down, Jason released his grip Azrael's neck, allowing him to drop back down to the dusty wooden floor. Looking down at his hands, Jason grimaced at the oily substance that now stained his palms and fingertips. It must've been something from Azrael's armor, maybe a component of it or something.

"Just get out" Jason ordered turning away and heading back over to the sink. Re-opening the window, Azrael turned back to look at Jason once more.

"Jason, when the event happens, the time will come where you will need to reveal yourself. You will need to tell Batman who you really are" he instructed, getting an impolite chuckle from Jason as he looked back at him in the mirror.

"Over my dead body" he replied, turning on the tap to wash his hands.

"In time" Azrael finished, confusing Jason. But before he could even ask what he meant, Azrael had disappeared, the only proof of his presence being the footprints on the dusty floor and the crack in the window. Turning back to the mirror, Jason looked at his reflection, his expression one of both confusion and dread.

**A/N: More chapters coming soon. Laters. **


	5. Daredevil vs Penguin

**A/N: I'm back! Please comment.**

**- The Next Morning -**

The sun's rays warmed the road as the yellow taxicab drove up to the entrance of Wayne Manor. Stopping at the gate, the passenger doors opened, allowing Matt, Eddie and Charlotte to step outside. Heading for the trunk, Eddie reached for his friends' bags and handed them out to both of them, slamming the trunk shut after. As Eddie and Charlotte walked up to the gate, Matt reached into the back of his trousers and retrieved his wallet. Feeling how each note was folded, so he could tell the difference between the notes, he pulled out the amount required and handed it to the cab driver.

"Keep the change" Matt insisted, getting a grateful nod from the cab driver as he walked away. Reaching the gate, Eddie noticed a speaker attached to the wall beside it. Pressing the button beneath the speaker, he heard a static sound on the other.

"Hello?" Eddie asked, nervously awaiting a response.

"_May I ask who is speaking?_" an elderly voice asked in kind, calming Eddie a bit more.

"Umm...we're here to see Bru-I mean Mr. Wayne. He asked us to come here today" he answered, expecting the man's voice to return. Instead, the large metal gates creaked as the automatically swung open, allowing Satan's Army to continue down the path to the house. Arriving at the colossal house, Matt walked up and knocked, stepping back as the door was instantly opened.

"Good to see that you made it. Come in" Bruce greeted, stepping aside and allowing the group to enter the vast room, the walls coated in painting as various forms of art scattered around. Slowly, an elderly man entered the room wearing a smart suit and tie, his hands held behind his back in a classy fashion.

"Pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Murdock, Mr. Strach, Miss Varonis. I am Alfred" he greeted formally, holding out his hand.

"Nice to meet you" Matt greeted, shaking Alfred's hand kindheartedly.

"Same here" Eddie followed, shaking Alfred's hand also.

"It's a pleasure, Alfred" Charlotte finished, being the last person to shake his hand. Closing the front door, Bruce walked over to the four of them, glad that they were getting along so well.

"We've accommodated rooms for you; you can go unpack now if you wish. Matt, yours is upstairs, third door on the left. Charlotte yours is upstairs, fifth to the left. And Eddie, upstairs, third on the right" He instructed, getting understanding nods from the three of them as they started heading up the stairs. Heading upstairs, Charlotte watched as Eddie entered his room, kicking the door closed behind him as did so. Walking, Charlotte struggled at the weight of her bag as she continued down the corridor, gasping it slid from her grasp, spilling its contents over the floor and partially entering another room.

"_Perfect_" Charlotte thought as she knelt down and began to pick her stuff up. However, as she started picking up the items which had landed in the doorway of the room, she peeked inside, marveling at its furnishings. Placing the items back in her bag, Charlotte curiously stepped into the room and headed over to the small table which sat beside the expensive double bed. Placed on top was an old photograph in a frame, showing a man and a woman with a little boy standing in between them. It was quite hard to notice, be the boy looked a lot like a younger Bruce Wayne.

"_This must be Bruce's room_" Charlotte assumed, once again looking around, marveling at its size; it was almost as big as Jessica's apartment. Then, raising an eyebrow with confusion, Charlotte noticed another photograph placed beside it. Picking it up by the frame, she studied it, wondering who the person was. He had brown hair of a medium length and looked somewhere in his twenties.

"What are you doing in here?" a familiar voice asked, scaring Charlotte as she spun around. Standing in the doorway was Bruce, a stern look now enveloping his previously cheery expression.

"I...I dropped my bag...then...I..." she stammered, glancing from him to the photo. Noticing what she was holding, Bruce headed over to her, yanked the frame out of her grasp and placed it back on the bedside table. Facing Charlotte, he raised a finger to her face and glared at her.

"NEVER touch that picture again. Understand?" he said firmly, narrowing his eyes at the young heroine. Frightened by Bruce's sudden change in attitude, Charlotte nodded slowly before heading back out the door, picking up her bag as she ran.

**- Later, the Bat-Cave -**

Bruce's voice echoed around the Bat-Cave as he gave Satan's Army a briefing of Arkham City, relaying the information about the different districts, territories, the inmates and, most importantly, Stainless and Steel. He stood in front of the Bat-Computer as multiple images of the prison flashed on the screen, featuring mug-shots of multiple inmates and their M.O's. Sitting across from him in black, plastic swivel chairs were Matt, Charlotte and Eddie, all swearing their assorted costumes from the necks down, theirs masks laying in their laps.

"So, we'll split up into different sections of prison to cover more ground. Matt, you'll be positioned in the Bowery. Charlotte, you'll be covering the Amusement Mile. And Eddie, you'll have the Industrial District. I'll be in charge of watching Park Row. Any questions?" Bruce asked, turning to Charlotte as she raised her hand.

"What do we do if we see Stainless or Steel?" she asked, placing her hand back in her lap. Responding, Batman reached into his Utility Belt and retrieved two headsets. He tossed one to Eddie and one to Charlotte.

"If you see either of them, don't let them see you. Radio in your location and we'll all close in at different angles. Matt, do you still have the one I gave to you?" Bruce asked, turning to the crimson vigilante. Matt held up his hand, revealing the parting gift Batman had given him a year ago.

"Okay, so we all have our orders. Eddie, Charlotte, go wait by the Bat-Wing. We'll join you in a second" Batman instructed, causing the duo to head over to the launch pad for Batman's aircraft. As Bruce headed over to him, Matt could sense his heartbeat increasing. Something was wrong.

"Matt, there's a reason why I asked you to cover the Bowery" Bruce began, worrying Matt.

"What's wrong?" he asked, getting tired of having to hear Bruce's rapidly increasing heartbeat.

"Last night, Selina went missing in that area. I think Penguin has her" Bruce continued, shocking Matt. After the night they'd spent together in New York, he and Catwoman had been in touch whenever possible.

"Penguin? Why would he have her?" Matt asked, a hint of anger brimming in his voice as he clenched his hands into fists.

"Isn't it obvious? He thinks that if he kidnaps her, I'll come and save her" Bruce continued monotonously.

"Well, were you going to?" Matt asked again, the anger in his voice becoming more and more visible.

"Of course I was. But I figured that you'd want to do it. You care about her don't you?" Bruce responded with his own question, getting Matt to calm down a little bit.

"What kind of question is that? I'd give my life for her. I have to save her" he said, pulling his mask on over his head.

"Will you need any help?" Bruce asked as he pulled his own mask back over his head, once again donning the identity of the Caped Crusader.

"I'll be fine on my own. Just try to find Stainless and Steel" Daredevil answered, turning and walking over to launch pad.

**- Meanwhile, Arkham City -**

"What the hell?!" Red Hood exclaimed as he entered his now trashed hideout. All over the apartment room, his mattress had been tipped, his previously cracked window now had a gaping hole in the glass and, where his gun crate was, he gritted his teeth to see that his guns were missing. Heading over to the crate, he checked around the edges to see there were any left, but to no avail. Screaming anger, Red Hood picked up the crate and threw across the room, the wood splintering as it impacted against the wall. It wasn't until after this that he noticed the poster which had been nailed on the back of the door. Reaching it, he saw a brightly colored poster with the words 'VOTE DENT' imprinted against a red, white and blue background. Pulling the poster off the wall, he instantly realized who'd been here.

"Two-Face" he growled as he crumpled up the poster and threw it to the ground. The ransacking must have been payback for killing so many of his men. However, Two-Face had forgotten a very important rule: Red Hood always gets back at his enemies. Heading over to the spot where his mattress had previously rested, removed his helmet and threw it to the side, running his hands through his hair after. Placing his ear to the wall, he raised his hand and began knocking, making sure he got the right place. Grinning, he brought back his fist and launched straight into the wall, breaking off some of the plaster as he did so. Pulling his hand back out, he began grabbing the surrounding wall and began pulling chunks out. Until finally, his secret compartment was exposed, revealing his private weapon, along with a couple of Beretta 92FS pistols.

"_Be scared, Harv'. I'm coming for you_" he thought as he placed the weapon's straps over his shoulder.

**- Later, the Bowery -**

This was a normal day for most of Penguin's men: standing outside the museum, freezing to death and shooting anything that posed as a threat. They just leaned against the museum's front entrance, watching as the air they exhaled became visible due to the cold. Bored out of his mind, one of the guards turned to the other who was checking that his gun was fully loaded. Again.

"Why the hell are we even out here? Even if Batman does come to save the Cat, we won't be enough to stop him" he reminded pessimistically, aggravating his associate.

"Will you ever shut the hell up? Look, these are the best guns money can buy, Cobblepot said so himself. If the Bat comes anywhere near us, we just aim and shoot to kill. Badabing badaboom" the second guard replied confidently, unnerving his comrade.

"Really? You think it'll be THAT easy?" the first guard asked again, giving his associate a look of plausibility.

"Hey, how hard can it be to kill a creep in a costume?" the second guard replied spryly, failing to notice the crimson-clad vigilante appearing behind him.

"See for yourself" Daredevil answered, surprising both of them. As the first guard opened fire, Daredevil pulled the second guard in front of him, allowing him to take all the bullets. Holding out his pickaxe, he pressed the button on the side, allowing the top half of his weapon to launch out, hitting the first guard straight in the face and sending him back onto the ground. Shoving the second guard's corpse aside, Daredevil headed over to the first guard and stomped on his face, knocking him out promptly. Returning his weapon to its original form of a pickaxe, Daredevil listened intently as he heard a muffled voice coming from the first guard's pocket. Reaching down, Daredevil retrieved the walkie-talkie and held it to his ear, smiling as he heard the frustrated ranting of one Oswald Cobblepot.

"_What was that? I heard gunshots. Hello? ANSWER ME YOU SONS OF BITHCES!_" he ordered, seconds before Daredevil pressed the button on the side of the walkie-talkie.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Oswald. But you're going to need some body-bags" he replied conceitedly.

"_What? Who is this? Who the bloody hell are you?!_" Cobblepot asked again, his voice drenched in rage.  
"I'm here for Catwoman" Daredevil responded, a hint of resentment rising in his tone.

"_You want her? Come and get her_" Cobblepot finished mockingly, a preview of his laugh echoing over the airwaves before being cut off. Throwing the walkie-talkie away, Daredevil looked up at the big, wooden door, equipping his pickaxe for further combat.

"_Be careful what you wish for, Oswald_" he thought as he headed past the bodies of the guards and up the stone steps of the antediluvian building.

**- Meanwhile, Park Row -**

**(Music playing: Nickelback - Burn it to the ground)**

Outside the apartment complex, many guards were positioned, their faces concealed by rubber masks, each on depicting the monster formally known as Two-Face. Since they had no idea about the incoming attack, they were all unarmed. For some, the only form of protection being melee weapons such as metal poles and baseball bats. Their socializing was interrupted by a whistle sounding from down the street. Turning to face that direction, all they could do was watch in fear as Red Hood approached. On his back: an M2 Flamethrower, a little treat which he'd smuggled into Arkham City when he'd first arrived. Aiming the nozzle at the group of lackeys, Red Hood pulled the trigger, causing a torrent of fire to burst forth. Many of the guards screamed as their bodies were consumed by the flames, the plastic of the masks melting into theirs faces as their skin began to burn. The smartest of the guards ran, leaving the others to suffer in agony. As the screams ceased, Red Hood released the trigger, causing the nozzle to swallow the remaining fire back inside. Taking a minute to observe the burning corpses, he slid the flamethrower's straps off of his shoulders and let it drop to the floor. Walking through the fire and flames, Red Hood approached the door of the apartment complex and headed inside, quietly closing the door behind him as if he didn't want to wake the ghosts of those burning bodies outside.

**- With Daredevil -**

**(Music continues)**

Sensing the movement of the guards ahead of him, Daredevil, with pickaxe in hand, ran forward and leapt over the edge ahead of him and slid down the back of the large, previously animatronic, model T-Rex. As he hit the floor, the loud thud caught the attention of the guards, causing them to charge at him. Daredevil paused to study their forms, using his radar sense to trace them in electric blue. Two armed, three unarmed. As one aimed his gun, Daredevil pressed the button one the side of the pickaxe and launched the front half forward, hitting him in the shoulder and causing him to spin, causing him to accidentally shoot the other armed guard. As an unarmed guard threw a punch at him, Daredevil grabbed his fist and twisted it, causing him to cry out in pain as his wrist broke. One of the guards was holding a metal pipe, but as he took a swing, Daredevil ducked down, causing him to accidentally hit the guard with the now broken wrist, knocking him out cold. Grabbing the pole, Daredevil shoved it back into the guard's chest, stunning him as the final unarmed guard ran at him. Grabbing both guards by the backs of their heads, Daredevil bashed them together, taking them both out at once. The final armed guard, the one he'd first hit in the shoulder stood there, shaking as Daredevil started running at him. But before he could even pull the trigger, Daredevil snatched the gun out of his grasp and removed the ammo clip, rendering it useless. Pausing, Daredevil sensed a layer thick body armor covering the guard.  
"Go ahead. Hit me" the guard dared, regaining some of his bravery. But it didn't last when Daredevil quickly removed his S.W.A.T. fashioned helmet and smashed his head back into the concrete wall, leaving Daredevil as the last man standing.

**- With Red Hood -**

**(Music continues)**

Red Hood looked up the middle of the stairwell, observing the stairs as they continued upward in a spiral pattern, the only source of light being the flickering fluorescent light bulbs overhead. Before he headed up, he reached for his belt and retrieved his pistols, silencers attached to each of the barrels. Slowly making his way up the steps, he paused as he noticed a guard patrolling the first floor, pacing back forth unknowingly. Aiming his pistols, Red Hood pulled the trigger, hitting the man straight in the head and sending him back into the wall. Continuing up, Red Hood quickly shot a guard as he walked down the stairwell, causing him to fall down the last two steps. Aiming both pistols, Red Hood shot the two guards by the second floor corridor.  
"_Security's increasing. This must be Dent's floor_" he thought as he stepped over the bodies and continued down the corridor. Peaking round the corner, he quickly ducked back behind the wall, unnoticed by the two men guarding the door to a room. Aiming, Red Hood took them both out at once, two bullets, two kills. Grinning under his helmet, he headed over to the door, brought back his boot and kicked the door. Then, when it refused to open, he kicked it again. Finally, on the third kick, it burst open, allowing him access to Two-Face's office. Confused, he lowered his pistols, tilting his head at the emptiness of the room. There was a desk sitting across from him, covered with maps of the prison, each with highlighted warnings about each territory. Slowly, Red Hood walked over to the desk, freezing where he stood as he heard the door slam shut behind him.

"We've been waiting for you, Mr. Hood" an evil voice greeted, causing Red Hood to quickly turn around. Standing across from him was a man, wearing a half white and half black suit and tie. One half of his face was hideously burned, his yellow teeth revealed through the charred flesh where his lips used to be.

**- With Daredevil -**

**(Music continues)**

The intensified sounds of the shouting inmates caused Daredevil to cringe as they entered his eardrums, making his ears ache. Readying his pickaxe, he headed towards the large, metal shutter door and ducked down under it, entering the large room which Penguin had evidently named the 'Gladiator Pit'. Using the sound waves from the jeering inmates to survey the room, Daredevil started to plan out his possible tactics. Where he was standing, there was plenty of space for the inmates to battle each other for Penguin's respect. There were stone staircases on either side of the room, each on guarded by sheet metal fences, an electrified door and barbed wire. The staircases both lead to an elevated platform overlooking Daredevil. And, standing at the top, was Oswald Cobblepot, a cigar in one hand and his trademark umbrella in the other. Below him were three metal shutter doors, similar to the one which Daredevil had used to enter the pit. Behind them were the jeering inmates, some wielding different forms of melee weapons, others taking their chances by fighting unarmed. Grinning, Daredevil looked up at the pompous maniac, smoke flowing out of his nostrils and between his teeth as he glared back at this new pest.

"Mr. Cobblepot, I presume?" Daredevil asked, putting on a calm attitude despite the situation he was in.

"Who wants to know?" Cobblepot asked in response, taking another puff from his cigar, not taking his eyes of the crimson vigilante for a second.

"Daredevil" he introduced, getting a short cackle from his new target.

"Hah, never heard of you. But at least I'll know what to put on your display case" Cobblepot mocked, getting deranged laughs from the inmates behind the shutters.

"Whatever, just tell me where Catwoman is!" Daredevil ordered, narrowing his eyes at the pompous nut.

"Right here, genius" a flirty voice answered, causing a small grin to form on Daredevil's face. Tied to a stone pillar to the left of Oswald was the sexy thief herself. As she spoke, Daredevil was able to sense her for the first time since he'd entered the pit. She'd been so quiet and still, not even his radar sense could pick her up.

"You can't stay out of trouble, can you?" he asked casually, almost completely oblivious to the crowd of raging lunatics.

"Where's the fun in that?" she asked in response, agitating Cobblepot as he was forced to listen.

"Oh, give it a fuckin' rest! BOYS, KILL 'IM!" he ordered, seconds before the shutter doors rose, allowing the horde of inmates to charge at the crimson pest.

"Let's make this quick. I've got a casserole in the oven" Daredevil joked, raising his pickaxe and launching the top half forward once more.

**- With Red Hood -**

**(Music continues)**

"Good, cause I've been meaning to talk to you" Red Hood responded, aiming his pistol straight at Two-Face's forehead. However, before he could even pull the trigger, Two-Face reached into his coat and retrieved his twin pistols, aiming them both at the gun-toting crack shot.

"Well? Aren't you going to shoot me?" he asked, the good side of his face shifting into a demented grin, a grin which sent chills down Red Hood's spine.

"Only when you try to run away. I like it when they run" he replied, causing Two-Face's grin to shift into a scowl as he pulled open the door and ran out into the hallway. On impulse, Red Hood took off like a bullet, running out into the hallway and aiming his gun at Two-Face as he got further and further away. Pulling the trigger multiple times, he blinked as each muzzle flare briefly stunned him. Two-Face dove around the corner just as the storm of bullets missed him, hitting the wall with loud pings. Groaning, Red Hood took off down the corridor again, closing in on Two-Face just as he reached the stairwell. Grabbing him by the shoulders, Red Hood swung Two-Face around and pinned him to the wall, unloading punch after punch into the face of the former district attorney. Snarling, Two-Face moved his head to the left, causing Red Hood to hit the solid wall. Grabbing his sore fist, Red Hood lost his grip on Two-Face, allowing him to grab Red Hood instead and swing him into the wall. Taking his chance, Two-Face started running up the stairwell, causing Red Hood to snarl as he readied his pistols again. Running after Two-Face, Red Hood kept looking up through the middle of the stairwell, watching as his prey continued up to the very top of the apartment complex. Nearing the top, his eye widened as he caught a glimpse of Two-Face, just as he disappeared through the only door on the top floor.

"_Shit, he's gone out onto the roof_" he thought as he reopened the hatch and stuck his head through. There was nobody else up there. Heading out onto the landing, he kept his pistols raised, prepared to shoot anything that moved. Hearing a slam, he spun around and pulled the trigger, the gunshot ringing in his ears as his breathing increased. He let out a sigh of relief to see that it was just the wind blowing the door to the roof shut. Turning around once more, Red Hood started heading across the roof again, looking over his shoulder every few seconds to check if Two-Face was trying to sneak up on him. Reaching the edge, Red Hood took a second to observe Arkham City, the sound of the wind mixing in with the sound of arguing inmates and occasional gunshots. Suddenly, Red Hood gasped out as a burnt arm clamped around his neck from behind, slowly cutting off his oxygen and causing him to drop his guns. He started sweating as he felt the barrel of a gun clink against the polycarbonate plastic of his helmet.

"Didn't you get the message I left at your little apartment?" Two-Face growled through gritted teeth, his foul breath nearly causing Red Hood to wretch.

"Why do you think I came here tonight? To give you a fruit basket?" he replied sarcastically, getting a silent laugh the scarred maniac.

"Well, that's what you get for killing a quarter of my men" Two-Face informed, keeping his grip around Red Hood's neck as he struggled in his grasp.

"Hey, it's...it's not my fault that they trespassed on my turf" he replied, gasping as he began to lose more and more air.

"You've got guts, kid. Too bad the fall's going to pulverize them" Two-Face said as he started pushing Red Hood towards the edge, causing his legs to struggle as they tried to grip the roof. Red Hood could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he got to the very end of the roof, looking down at the long drop which would surely kill him.

"See you in hell" Two-Face bid, getting ready to give him the final push.

"Not if I see you first" Red Hood replied, confusing Two-Face before thrusting his lower body backwards, causing him to lose his grip on Red Hood's neck. Spinning around, he grabbed Two-Face shoulders and headbutted him straight in the face. Grabbing his face in pain, Red Hood reached down picked up his pistols and shot Two-Face in his left kneecap. Letting out a bloodcurdling scream, Two-Face fell back onto the roof, clutching his now profusely bleeding appendage,

"That's for trashing my place" Red Hood started before raising his pistol again and shooting Two-Face in the other knee. He watched emotionlessly as Two-Face writhed in pain, a single tear seeping down the good side of his face as he looked up at his predator.

"And that's for trying to kill me" Red Hood finished before heading over to Two-Face and stamping on his crotch. As Two-Face's screams dissolved into sharp breaths, Red Hood started walking over to the door to the stairwell, not even looking back at his latest "victim". Craning his neck around the best he could, Two-Face screamed at him, his voice sounding demonic.

"YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU! YOU'RE DEAD! DO YOU HEAR ME?! DEAD!" he cried out pointlessly, his voice trailing after Red Hood as he continued down the stairwell, his cries echoing off of the concrete walls and all the way down to the very bottom of the complex. Heading back out the front door, the flames from his previous kill streak burning at half the light, he ignored the dead bodies, reached for his discarded flamethrower and slid the straps back over his shoulders. Heading away, he did his best to drone out the sound of Two-Face's screaming as they continued to fill his ears. Pausing, Red Hood turned around, taking one last look back up to the roof as the cries of pain refused to cease, putting fear into the soul of each inmate within the surrounding area. Everybody except him. Sighing, he turned away and continued on his set course, no remorse for what he'd just done.

**(Music ends)**

**- With Daredevil -**

Cobblepot growled as he observed the scene below him. Scattered around the floor of the gladiator pit were the bodies of most of his men, some were still breathing, others weren't so lucky. Grinning triumphantly, Daredevil used his radar sense to pinpoint the location of Cobblepot and looked in that direction, trying to hide the fact that he was blind.

"Oh, for fuck's sake. Why won't you die?" he shouted, forcing Daredevil's grin to recede, forming into a stern expression.

"I've beaten all your men, Cobblepot. Let her go" he ordered, his eyes focused on the overweight, blue outline he could sense at the top of the platform.

"Not yet you ain't. I still have one more trick up my sleeve" Cobblepot retorted before turning around and whistling. There was a brief silence as the whistle ceased, interrupted by the sound of distant thudding. As the thudding got closer, Daredevil could sense a deformed shape appearing from behind Penguin, each footstep getting louder, illuminating it more and more.

"What the hell is that?" he asked, sensing his own heartbeat increase fairly. Noticing his rising fear, Cobblepot couldn't help but on a toothy grin, a silent chuckle slipping out between his teeth.

"Allow me to introduce Hammer and Sickle, the Abramovici twins. These little lovelies were born conjoined at the shoulder, that is, until they were separated to go their separate ways. Sickle started working for me, Hammer started working for Joker" he explained darkly. Daredevil focused on the brothers, getting a clearer visualization with each hulking step they took. Cobblepot was right, the two really were conjoined at the shoulder. Both of them were ripped (muscle-wise) and they each carried a heavy, oversized, melee weapon. The one on the left had a hammer in his right hand and the one on the right had a sickle in his left hand.

"If they were separated, how come they're conjoined again?" Daredevil asked, readying his pickaxe for the imminent battle. However, instead of a response from Cobblepot, he got a response from the twins.

"Because, apart we are strong..." Hammer began, looking over at his brother with a grin.

"...but together, we are invincible!" Sickle finished before the two of them leapt down into the pit, sending a loud shock wave across the floor which damaged Daredevil's hearing, causing him to cringe in pain.

"Let's see how you do against this abomination!" Cobblepot gloated, bring his cigar to his mouth and taking in another breath. Bringing his hammer above his head, Hammer quickly brought it down again, missing Daredevil as he quickly dove out of the way, landing centimeters away from where the weapon had struck.

"Daredevil, be careful!" Catwoman called out, getting a dirty look from Cobblepot as he continued to observe the battle.

"Thanks for the tip" Daredevil replied, just in time to roll out of the way as Hammer brought his weapon down a second time, just missing his head. Leaping back up, Daredevil brought back his fist and hit Sickle straight in the chest, only to retract his hand as pain shot through his knuckles.

"Nice shot, here's mine" Sickle responded before bringing his sickle back and swinging it across, cutting Daredevil across the chest. Crying out, Daredevil clutched at his wound, too distracted by the pain to notice Hammer bringing his hammer back. Before he could even react, the hammer struck Daredevil in the side, sending him across the room and into the solid wall with a loud crack, his pickaxe dropping by his side. Catwoman gasped as her love interest weakly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, only to drop back down to the floor as a searing pain shot through his ribcage. Looking up, the contorted outline of the two overshadowed him, making him feel weak, worthless, a failure.

"That's it, boys! Finish him off!" Cobblepot cheered, eagerly awaiting the demise of the fallen vigilante, smoke frothing from his nostrils. Catwoman had no choice but to look on as Daredevil was submitted to this torture, knowing that his life was almost at its end. She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she let out a heartfelt sob. Unknown to her, Daredevil heard this sob, causing his eyes to widen behind their mirrored visors. It was then that he realized: he wasn't a failure. Not to her. Not to his team. Not to anybody who cared about him. Narrowing his eyes and gritting his teeth, he rolled into a sit-up position and looked up at the twins as they observed his withered form.

"_C'mon, there's got to be something. Anything_" he thought as he tapped his fingers on the ground, sending waves of blue across the floor, searching for an object he could use to his advantage. Grinning, Daredevil's radar sense rested on the cylinder-shaped object a couple of feet away from him. A fire extinguisher.

"Want to finish him off, brother?" Hammer suggested, bringing a smile to his brother's face.

"With pleasure" he replied, putting fear into Daredevil's soul. He didn't have much time left. Quickly, Daredevil did his best to drag himself over to the fire extinguisher and grab hold of it with both hands waiting for the right moment.

"Farewell, d'yavol" Sickle bid, raising his weapon above his head. However, as he swung it down, Daredevil brought the fire extinguisher up and held in front of him, causing the sickle slice straight into it.

BOOM!

An instant cloud of white filled a quarter of the pit as the fire extinguisher burst open, hiding the three of them from sight.

"Oi?! What was that?! WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE?!" Cobblepot ordered as he squinted, trying to make out what was happening in the smoke. If he had Daredevil's special ability, it would've been a piece of cake. As the twins struggled in the smoke, they made it all the more easier for Daredevil to sense them. Picking his pickaxe up off of the ground, he pressed the blades in and pulled the pole in half, turning it into a pair of nun-chucks. Rebounding off of the wall behind him, he leapt up onto Hammer's shoulder and swung around so he was sitting on their conjoined shoulder. Extending the string of the nun-chucks to its full length, he quickly swung it around Hammer's neck then looped it around Sickles. Then, pulling each of the nun-chucks back, he grinned as he heard the sounds of the brothers choking as he simultaneously strangled them. Pulling tighter and tighter on the nun-chucks, Daredevil gritted his teeth as the two constantly tried to tear the rope off, but to no avail. Sure enough, both brothers went limp and dropped their weapons, the loud clunks filling the room.

"Hammer? Sickle? Answer me!" Cobblepot ordered as the smoke cleared, revealing a truly heroic sight. The corpses of Hammer and Sickle lay on the ground, still, unmoving, dead. And standing on top of them, his costume torn and his wound bleeding, was Daredevil, glaring up at Cobblepot with a smug grin. Letting his jaw drop in shock, Cobblepot's cigar fell to the ground, a small pile of ash surrounding it. Catwoman was amazed, her previous tears of worry becoming tears of joy. Cobblepot began to turn red, smoke on the verge of shooting out of his ears like a classic cartoon.

"YOU BASTARD! DIE!" Cobblepot exploded, aiming his umbrella at the triumphant hero. As the gun shot echoed off of the walls, Daredevil quickly moved his shoulder back, allowing the bullet to fly past him with ease. Sensing that Cobblepot was taking aim once more, Daredevil quickly pushed the nun-chucks together and allowed the blades to pop out of either side, returning it to the form of a pickaxe. Pulling his arm back, Daredevil threw it straight at Cobblepot like a javelin, causing it to hit him in the shoulder, just as he pulled the trigger. Letting out a cry of pain, Cobblepot spun around, accidentally firing at the ropes which were keeping Catwoman contained. Freeing herself, Catwoman grabbed her whip from her belt and snapped it outwards, causing it to grab Cobblepot's umbrella and pull it back to her. Catching it in her grasp, she smiled as an annoyed expression spread across Cobblepot's face.

"Give it back!" he ordered, right before Catwoman rose her knee and snapped the umbrella in half, rendering it useless. Throwing her whip out a second time, it wrapped around Cobblepot's neck, causing his to choke as she stood behind him, leading him to the edge of the platform.

"Gah...you can't do this! Let me...go!" he ordered as he struggled in the grip of Catwoman's trademark weapon. Suddenly, the whip slipped from around his neck and he was spun around, coming face to face with the notorious cat burglar.

"C'mon, Ozzie. We're just going to have some fun. Now, let's see if you can dance with the Devil" she replied, before shoving his backwards, causing him to stumble over the edge of the platform. Letting out a scream of terror, Cobblepot fell over the edge, landing on a pile of unconscious inmates. Groaning, he slowly stood back up, gasping as Daredevil approached him.  
"No! NO! STAY BACK!" he demanded, almost begging, but to no avail.

"It's time, Cobblepot" Daredevil said, directing his radar sense up to the platform to see Catwoman standing there, his pickaxe in her hand.

"Time...time for what?" Cobblepot stammered, following his gaze as Catwoman tossed the pickaxe down to Daredevil. Snatching it out of the air, he spun it in his hand, both impressing and scaring Cobblepot as he stood there.

"Time to give the Devil his due" Daredevil replied, grabbed Penguin by his neck and slamming hard against the wall of the Gladiator Pit, comically raising off of the ground to eye level and causing his legs to flail helplessly like a scared child. Hearing a soft thud, he sensed Catwoman landing behind him, heading over to join him as he kept Oswald's neck in his grasp.

"So, what should we do with him?" Daredevil asked ecstatically, an unsettling grin spreading across his lips.

"How about we tie him up in a cute, little, red bow and drop him off outside Two-Face's place?" Catwoman suggested amusingly, causing Cobblepot's eyes to widen with worry.

"NO, YOU CAN'T!" he begged, on the verge of whimpering, this caused both Catwoman and Daredevil to snigger.

"Okay then. How about we kill you right now?" Daredevil suggested darkly, causing Cobblepot to let out a scared cry.

"NO, DON'T! Please...please, you don't have to kill me!" he begged, angering Daredevil as he leaned in close to Cobblepot's face.

"Give me one good reason why not" he ordered, narrowing his eyebrows under his mask, enjoying the sound of Cobblepot's heartbeat as it rose and dropped.

"Cause I don't think you're just here to save some cat broad" he answered, getting an angry look from Catwoman as he used the term 'broad'.

"Go on" Daredevil insisted, still keeping a tight grip on his prey.

"The way I see it, you're also looking for a girl, black hair, has a thing with knives?" Cobblepot asked, surprising Daredevil.

"What do you know about her?" he asked, remembering the description Batman had given them earlier.

"Nothing, I don't even know her name. But, last night, I got a message over the radio from my men down in the subway. I've been using it as a storage space for my interference jammers" Cobblepot explained, stimulating Catwoman.

"What happened?" she asked, interested in where this was heading.

"When they went silent, I sent some of my men down there to see what had happened. When they arrived, they found all of my guards with their throats slit and one of my jammers had been stripped of all its components" Cobblepot continued, causing Daredevil and Catwoman to exchange concerned looks. Listening intently, Daredevil heard the pace of Cobblepot's heartbeat: normal.

"He's telling the truth" he remarked, letting go of Cobblepot's neck and dropping him to the floor.

"If you ever kidnap her again, you'll lose an arm" Daredevil threatened as he turned and walked away, his arm placed around Catwoman's shoulder as the two exited the pit. All Cobblepot could do was sit and watch, anger brewing in his mind as he began to plan his revenge.

**A/N: More coming soon. PLEASE review. For me?**


	6. Harley's secret

**A/N: I'm back! Please comment.**

**- Meanwhile, Industrial District -**

"_We're going 'til the world stops turning while we burn it to the ground tonight_" Phobia sung in his head as his legs dangled over the edge of the rooftop, the two unconscious bodies of Harley's guards lying on the roof behind him. Beside them were their guns, their ammunition packs removed and tossed down to the street below, courtesy of Phobia. Removing his gas-mask, Eddie let out a yawn, stretching his arms backwards as he did so.

"Man, after a while, recon gets boring" he said to himself, swinging his head to the left to get his hair out of his eyes.

"_Don't worry, kid. You get used to it_" a voice suddenly replied from Eddie's earpiece, causing him to jump in fright and almost fall of the roof. Worriedly, he reached up to his earpiece and pressed the small button on the side.

"Umm...who is this?" he asked, failing to recognize the voice on the other end of the frequency.

"_Oh right, we haven't met yet. Sorry for spooking you. I'm Oracle_" the kind voice answered, calming Eddie down a little.

"Should I know you?" he asked again, still wondering who the hell he was talking to.

"_Don't worry, I'm Batman's friend. I'm like his own personal hacker_" Oracle explained, bringing Eddie up to speed.

"Oh, I see. Wait, how come none of us saw you in the Bat-Cave when Batman gave us the orientation thing?" he asked curiously, making sure that her identity was legit.

"_I do have a life outside the Bat-Cave, kid. Alfred brought me up to speed on what you and your friends were doing_" Oracle answered, putting the pieces together for Eddie to understand.

"Right, sorry. So, how do you know Bruce?" Eddie asked, reaching up to his head and moving his hair out of his eyes once more.

"_I used to be Bat-Girl_" Oracle explained, causing Eddie's eyes to widen with surprise.

"Really? But that means...Joker...you know..." he trailed off, worried about how she'd react if he continued. He'd heard about what Joker had done to her all those years ago, how he'd shot her through the spine, almost killing her. Until then, he hadn't had a clue about what had happened to her afterwards.

"_Yeah, after that I was paralyzed from the waist down. So I decided to put my computer expertise to good use. I've been operating from the Bat-Cave ever since_" she explained, finishing her story.

"Cool. So, what was..." Eddie trailed off, his attention caught by what was happening below him. A familiar figure was running down the street in the direction of the Steel Mill, a large sack swung over her shoulder. He easily recognized the black and red color scheme of her costume and her long blonde hair, put up into large pigtails. Harley Quinn.

"_Eddie? What's happening over there?_" Oracle asked, wondering why Eddie hadn't responded yet. Watching as Harley turned and began heading down another street, Eddie stood up on the roof, trying not to lose her trail.

"Nothing. I'll talk to you later" Eddie replied, reaching up to his earpiece and pressing the third button along, Raven's frequency.

"Charlotte, get your ass down to the Industrial District. I've spotted Harley Quinn and she has something in a sack. It could be dangerous" Eddie explained, tapping his foot impatiently as he awaited a reply from his sibling.

"_Quinn? She won't be easy to beat. I'll be there as soon as I can_" Raven replied, her feed going silent soon after. With his hood pulled up, Eddie placed his gas-mask back on, donning his second identity, the identity of Phobia.

**- With Harley -**

Gasping for air, Harley ran into an alleyway, dropping the sack to the ground as she did so and placing her hands on her knees, doubled over as she regained her breath. Peeking round the corner, Harley sighed in relief, she hadn't been followed by any of Two-Face's or Penguin's men. Collapsing against the wall of the alley, she slumped down, hitting the pavement as she landed in a sitting position. Reaching into her jacket, she retrieved a pack on cigarettes, opened the pack and pulled one out. Placing the pack back in her jacket, she retrieved her lighter and flicked the side, a small flames emerging from the top as she held it to the end of the cigarette. Holding it in, she released the smoke into the air, calming down as she let her head lean back against the bricks of the wall. Sighing, she took a second to look at her new outfit. Since Joker died, she'd changed her appearance drastically. Instead of her previous getup, she now wore a Steampunk-esque ensemble. On her head, she wore a dark red top-hat with a skull and crossbones buckle on the hatband. Pulled up onto her forehead was a pair of Steampunk goggles with tinted, red visors. She had a black mask covering her eyes, defeating the purpose of the having the goggles. Heading south of her head, she wore a half red and half black corset with a short, ruffled dress attached to the bottom. Covering her corset was a matching jacket, compete with copper buttons and white, frilly sleeves. A pair of black fingerless gloves covered her forearms, all the way up to her elbows. Reaching her legs, she wore a pair of black tights with visible straps attached to her...undergarments. Finally reaching her feet, she wore a pair of black and white boots with copper studs lining the sides. Sighing, Harley brought the cigarette back to her lips and sucked in another mouthful of smoke. She didn't understand why she kept on getting dolled up like this; it wasn't as if she had anybody to dress up for. Not anymore that is. Wiping away a surfacing tear, Harley blew into the air once more, polluting it with the nicotine-infested fumes.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you? Smoking kills" a muffled, deep voice said, announcing his presence and simultaneously scaring the hell out of Harley. Quickly standing up, Harley looked back the way she'd come, staring at the figure who stood at the end of the alley. As he slowly emerged from the darkness, Harley scowled at the young vigilante, anger flooding her mind as she remembered what he'd previously done to her and her "lover" all those months ago.

"You. What the fuck are you doin' here?" she ordered, throwing her cigarette to the ground and stomping on it, grinding it into the gravel as she moved the toe of her boot left and right. As if on cue, Harley heard a thud from behind her. Spinning around, she saw a young, female figure blocking off the other end of the alleyway, a pair of metallic wings spread out from her back.

"Same reason as me" Raven answered, flexing her shoulders and causing the wings to fold back in, now hidden behind her back. Narrowing her eyes and gritting her teeth, her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them, watching as they slowly started closing in on her, blocking off her only exits. As she turned back to Phobia, she gasped as his gaze rested upon the sack lying a few feet away from her.

"What's in the sack, Quinn?" he asked, slowly kneeling down and reaching out to it. Reacting quickly, she grabbed Phobia by the shoulders and head-butted him in the face. As he staggered, she grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed it into the wall, sending him back onto the ground.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Raven called out, running towards the busty blonde and causing her to turn around. As she threw a punch, Harley blocked it, reached down, grabbed the sack and swung it to the left, hitting Raven around the side of the head. As Phobia tried to stand back up, Harley ran for her life, running round the corner and out of sight. Using the wall as support, Phobia regained his footing, clutching at his head as the throbbing in refused to subside.

"Are...you okay?" he gasped, looking over to Raven as she picked herself up, wiping away the blood from the side of her mouth.

"I'm fine. Where's Harley?" she asked, rubbing the red side of her face from where the sack had made contact.

"She went this way. Come on, she couldn't have gotten far" Phobia instructed, getting a nod from Raven before they ran out of the alley, hot on Harley's trail.

**- The Steel Mill -**

"OPEN THE GATE! OPEN THE GATE!" Harley called out as she got closer and closer to the Steel Mill's entrance, two guards dressed in red and black painted prisoner uniforms guarding the gate. Hearing her orders, the guards unlocked the padlock to the chain which held the two, large, metal gates together. Pulling them open, Harley ran inside, watching her as she continued to run.

"WHAT ARE YOU DUMBASSES WAITIN' FOR?! CLOSE 'EM!" she ordered, not even bothering to stop as she ran towards the large, rusty door, surrounded by the burning debris of outdated carnival props. But before the guards could even close the gate, Phobia and Raven took a running start and busted it open, knocking out the two guards simultaneously as their heads collided with the hard metal. Pausing to observe their surroundings, the two of them watched as many guards in the same uniforms started to surround them, each one holding various melee weapons such as rusty poles and baseball bats. Looking through the crowd of inmates, Phobia's eyes narrowed behind his visors as Harley painstakingly tried to close the door behind her, one hand doing the all the work, the other still holding the sack.

"Go after her. I'll deal with these goofballs" Raven reassured, getting a nod from Phobia as he ran through the crowd, arriving at the door just before it closed. Pulling it open the best he could, he slid through the small gap and disappeared inside the Steel Mill, leaving Raven on her own against the assemblage of prisoners.

**(Music playing: Seether – Gasoline)**

There were ten of them, all closing in on the teenage heroine, ready to show her who was boss. The first guy to approach her had a clown mask covering his face, his expression frozen into a demented, painted smile.

"You might as well give up now, girl. I don't want to have to hurt you" he warned, crossing his arms in a contented manner.

"Go easy on me. It's my first time" she responded before kicking him straight in the junk. Dropping to his knees and clutching his groin in agony, she brought back her fist and socked him straight in the forehead knocking him unconscious. Looking up at the remaining nine, her eyes widened as they started coming at her all at once.

"Shit" she exclaimed, running over to the ladder near the wall and trying to climb up onto the catwalk. Reaching the top, the second guy, wearing another demonic looking clown mask, grabbed her leg and tried to tug her back down. Grabbing the metal guardrail, Raven swung her free leg back and kicked him in the face, causing him to lose his grip on the ladder and fall back down, losing consciousness as his head made contact with the solid ground. Finally arriving at the top, she ran along the catwalk as more of the men started to climb up after her. Turning around, Raven stopped next to where there was a gap on the railing, where a second ladder had been placed. As the third guy approached her, wielded a rusty pipe, he took a swing, only to have Raven leap back slightly and dodge it.

"Mind if I borrow this?" Raven asked, pulling it out of his hand and taking a swing of her own, hitting him in the side of the head and knocking him off the catwalk, sending back down to ground level with a loud thud. Raven quickly raised her pipe in self-defense as the fourth guard swung his own pipe at her, creating a loud clang as the metal object made contact. With the fourth guy stunned briefly, Raven raised her pipe above her head and brought it down, knocking him out instantly. The fifth guy may have been unarmed, but he was still as dangerous as the others. Taking aim, Raven brought back her arm and threw the pipe forward at him, hitting him straight in the forehead and causing him to fall backwards whilst running, creating a comical effect and causing two of the guys to trip over his body.

"_Wow, Matt was right. That was a useful skill_" she thought, remembering the lesson Matt had given them on using ordinary object as projectiles. Coming back to reality, Raven continued down the catwalk as the men continued after her, two of them getting back on their feet after tripping over her previous target. Running up the steps, Raven saw a crate containing two assault rifles, both of them looked unused, meaning that they were probably still loaded.

"_C'mon, Charlotte. You're better than that_" she thought, shaking off her previous idea of using them against her attackers. Instead, she grabbed the crate and tipped its contents over the side of the guardrail, sending the guns to the ground. Running back over to the steps, she smiled to see that the guards were making their way up.

"Hey, think fast!" she warned before tossing the crate down the steps, hitting the sixth guard in the chest and causing him to fall back down the stairs, taking the seventh and eight guards with him, knocking all three of them out. Two guards remained, both stepping over the bodies of their allies and continuing to give chase. As the ninth guy came at her, she blocked his punch, grabbed him back his head and slammed his right temple into the guard rail, leaving a tiny trace of blood on the rusting metal. However, before she could react, the tenth guard punched her in the stomach, sending her to the grated floor. Suddenly, the guard paused, hearing the sound of sobbing coming from the young hero as she clutched her lower body in pain.

"Why would you do that? I'm just a kid" she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Hearing this, the guard's once angry expression turned to one of regret.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" he tried to apologize before Raven kicked him in the knee. Pouncing back up onto her feet, Raven brought her leg back and snap kicked him in the face, causing him to jerk backwards and go unconscious. Breathing heavily and wiping away her forced tears, Raven took a minute to observe her handiwork, her eyes darting to each of the unconscious guards.

**(Music ends)**

"Oh God, Eddie" she remembered, running back down the catwalk and sliding down the ladder. Stepping through the gap Phobia had left, she entered a large warehouse area, the sight of flames flickering through the caps in the cracked windows and iron walls. Ahead of her on a platform was an electric generator with a large crane hook hanging above it from a thick, metal chain. In front of the platform were multiple crates just like the ones she seen on the catwalk, all filled to the brim with various weapons and attachments. However, scattered around the room were the bodies of multiple inmates, either riddled with bullets or bruised badly, a couple with guns by their side. Hanging above her was a rope ladder, leading to a doorway up above the ground floor. Hearing voices coming from inside the room, Raven started climbing up, pulling herself into the room as she reached the top. Looking inside, her jaw dropped as she saw what was happening.

"What the hell is this?" she asked, her face frozen in confusion.

**- Earlier -**

Phobia slid through the gap in the door, arriving inside the immense interior of the warehouse, freezing as he caught the attention of multiple guards, two of them wielding guns. He could only watch as Harley ran over to the rope ladder hanging from above.

"Stop him, you fatheads!" Harley ordered as she began to climb up the ladder, making it harder due to her other hand still holding onto the sack. Phobia froze as the men with guns aimed at him, the others cracking their knuckles, preparing for battle. Looking around for some sort of advantage against them, Phobia was distracted by a small clink. Looking beneath where the ladder hung, he saw Harley's lighter; it must've fallen out of her pocket as she was climbing. Reaching for his belt, Phobia retrieved his scythe, jumping in fright as one of the guards suddenly called out.

"He's got a weapon! Take him out!" he called, causing Phobia to leap to the left, dodging the swarm of bullets by millimeters. Quickly, Phobia brought his arm back and threw his scythe forward in a boomerang fashion, causing the blade to puncture the metal casing of the lighter, causing a flash of light to fill the room. Temporarily losing their vision, Phobia ran forwards, grabbed one of the guns from the guards and slammed the butt of it into his forehead, causing him to fall back against the same metal guard rail of the platform, going unconscious. Pulling out the gun's ammo clip, Phobia concentrated and threw it straight at the other gun-wielding inmate, hitting him straight in the eye. Staggering, the inmate's finger tightened around the trigger, causing him to open fire on the remaining unarmed inmates. Regaining his vision, he froze in horror as he observed the scene. Every single inmate had been taken down. All except him. Looking to the left, he didn't even have time to scream before Phobia hit him in the face, knocking him down to the floor. Looking up to where the ladder led, he saw a doorway attached to what looked like a small office. All of a sudden, Harley Quinn appeared, crying out in anger as she saw what he'd done to her men.

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF CRAP! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE US ALONE?!" she screamed, disappearing back inside the office and covering the doorway with a large piece of sheet metal.

"Us?" Phobia thought out loud, heading over to the remnants of the lighter and picking up his scythe. Placing it back in his belt, he started climbing up the rope ladder, smacking his fist against the sheet metal as he reached the top, trying to move it out of the way. Then, with the second attempt, he hit the metal once more, sending it back it to the floor. Painstakingly pulling himself up into the office, his eyes darted around the room, the only source of light being the bright, colorful Christmas lights placed around the windows, the flickering light on the ceiling and the moonlight shining through the poorly boarded up window, revealing the dust particles traveling through the air. Standing on the other sight of the room, the light from the windows projecting her shadow onto the wooden floor in front of him, was Harley.

"GAH, DO YOU EVER LISTEN?!" she screamed, walking over to desk placed on the left side of the room, covered in what Phobia hoped were coffee stains and surprisingly neat piles of papers. With these papers was a metal drawer which previously belonged in a filing cabinet, Harley reached for this drawer and emptied the various papers onto the ground.

"_CRAP!_" Phobia thought as Harley raised the drawer above her head and threw it at him, missing him as he moved his head to the left. Angered, Harley reached for the desk lamp beside the piles of paper and pulled the plug from the wall.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" she screamed, right before throwing the desk lamp in his direction. On impulse, Phobia dodged to the left and hid behind one of the wooden support beams, peeking his head out from behind it to observe Harley's next move.

"What's all my fault?" he asked, watching in fear as Harley reached under the desk and fetched her red and white striped baseball bat, her mouth forming into an angry frown, her teeth ground together.

"MISTAH J'S DEAD! YOU TOOK AWAY THE ONLY THING GUY I'VE EVER LOVED!" she answered, running over to him and taking a swing at Phobia's face, tears of both sadness and rage seeping from her eye sockets. As he fell backwards onto the floor, a loud crack was heard as the baseball bat made contact with the support beam, leaving behind a big dent.

"I had nothing to do with Joker's death. I'm sure Batman did all he could to save him" Phobia tried to reason, but to no avail. Harley raised the bat above her head and brought it down, just missing Phobia as he slid back, the bat hitting the ground just beneath his crotch.

"IT'S HIS FAULT TOO! IT'S ALL OF YOUR FAULTS! YOU, THE BAT, CATWOMAN, THE DEVIL, THE STUPID RAVEN CHICK! " she continued, bringing the bat down between each word, only for Phobia to move back each time, the bat barely missing him. Feeling his head hit something solid, Phobia looked back to see that he'd reached the window on the far end of the office, a dead end. As Harley brought the bat down once more, Phobia rolled out of the way, causing the bat to break through one of the wooden floorboards, getting stuck. After a three attempts to try and get it out, Harley lost her grip on the bat and raised her boot above Phobia's head. Bringing it down, she was stopped by Phobia as he grabbed it with both hands, the sole just inches from his face.

"Leave my friends out of this...it's not their fault. You're just...in...denial. Just...calm...down" he choked out through gritted teeth as he held the boot away with all his might. Then, with one burst of strength, he shoved the boot away, causing Harley to lose her balance and fall back onto the floor. Rolling onto his front and pushing himself back up, Phobia backed away to the wall as Harley did the same. Reaching down, Harley picked up a pair of scissors which had previously been lodged in the floor. Turning to the wall, his eyes widened to see a dartboard hanging on it, a photograph of Batman pinned up over it with multiple holes showing where the darts had made contact. Turning back to Harley, he gasped to see her coming at him, the scissors in her hand.

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she screamed, causing Phobia to duck as she drove the scissors at his face, ironically lodging them in the dartboard's bullseye. Moving out from under the dartboard, Phobia jumped back as Harley swung the scissors out in front of him, the metal blades just missing him. After taking multiple swings, Phobia grabbed the scissors and pulled the out of her grasp, sending them sliding across the floor. Angered, Harley resorted to punches and started taking multiple swings, each one blocked by Phobia as he raised his hands in self-defense.

"Harley, listen to me. Joker's gone, there's nothing you can do to bring him back. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life in a homicidal rage?" he asked, praying that he was getting through to the heartbroken harlequin. Hearing this, Harley's punches began to slow down, until they became nothing more than gentle pats.

"I...I...I DON'T KNOW!" she sobbed, ceasing her "punching" and dropping to her knees, her hands covering her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks. Looking from her to the other side of the room, Phobia's gaze rested on the sack she'd been carrying earlier. Taking his chance, he ran over to it and picked it up, infuriating Harley as she stood back up.

"PUT THAT DOWN!" she cried, mascara stains emerging from under her mask. Slowly, the two started to walk in a circle, not taking their eyes off one another.

"What's in here, Harley? Money? Guns? Explosives? Stop me if I'm right" Phobia ordered, opening the top. An expression of fear crossed over Harley's face as he reached inside.

"PLEASE, STOP!" she begged, her voice now frail and weak. But Phobia ignored her pleas and pulled out the first thing he could get his hands on.

Diapers.

Not money.

Not guns or explosives.

Just...diapers.

He looked back inside the sack, a quizzical expression hidden underneath the plastic of his gas-mask. The sack was filled with stuff any mother would need, jars of baby food, formula, a bottle, you name it. He looked back at Harley who was breathing heavily.

"What is this stuff for?" he ordered, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I...I..." Harley stuttered, trying to think of a good excuse. But the small cry coming from the corner said it all.

"Oh, now look what you did!" Harley groaned, heading over to the corner of the room and pulling away a sheet of black tarp. It had been camouflaged so well, Phobia hadn't even seen it. With the tarp removed, an old crib was revealed; Harley leaned over it and reached inside. When she turned back around, she held a small baby in her arms, small cries coming from its mouth as Harley slowly rocked in back and forth.

"Shh...shh...there there. It's okay. Mommy's here" she said softly, almost sounding normal. As for Phobia, he was still frozen in surprise. Watching as Harley took care of the child with ease.

"What the hell is this?" a voice asked, causing both Phobia and Harley to look towards the doorway. Standing there, her face frozen with confusion, was Raven.

"You tell me" Phobia replied, turning back to face Harley as she continued to rock the baby. As he awaited a reply, the baby's cries started to die down, until it finally drifted off to sleep, tiny, soft snores whispering from its mouth as it was placed back in the crib. Sighing with relief, Harley turned back around to face the two intruders, her arms crossed and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Whose baby is that, Quinn?" Raven asked, her and Phobia standing side by side, blocking off her exit.

"Who do you think?" Harley retaliated, heading over to her old nurses uniform from back in Arkham Asylum, when Joker took control and turned it into a madhouse. Beside it was a light green box, picking it up and reaching inside, she retrieved a small, white, plastic stick. Tossing it over to them, Phobia caught it in midair and brought it to eye level. It was a pregnancy test, a positive pregnancy test. And from the look of it, it was taken a while ago. After him and Raven exchanged surprised expression, they looked over to Harley who had a small grin on her face.

"Wait...you...and Joker..." Phobia stammered, still finding this information hard to believe.

"And the last horse crosses the finish line" Harley commented, relieved that they were smart enough to figure it out for themselves.

"But...when?" Raven asked, curious at how she and Joker pulled off this endeavor. Let alone in Arkham City.

"It happened two months before Mistah J...died. I took the test the next day and it came up positive. I never even told him" Harley explained, choking a little when mentioning her dead boyfriend.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Phobia asked inquisitively, crossing his arms.  
"I wanted to keep it a surprise for when he killed the Bat. But he never did. I only gave birth a couple of weeks ago" Harley continued, turning away from them to hide her resurfacing tears and wipe them away.

"And you've looked after it all by yourself?" Raven asked, amazed at Harley's ability to actually care for something.

"First, it's a him. Second, no. I had my boys help me whenever I needed something. I sometimes leave them to babysit when I have to go grab some stuff. I get deliveries from this guy in Park Row every week or so" Harley continued, nodding to the sack of diapers and etc.

"You leave dangerous criminals to look after a baby?" Phobia asked, one eyebrow raised, but still hidden behind his mask.

"Hey, these guys aren't the same psychos they were when they were first put in here. This prison changed them, made them look out for other people instead of just themselves" Harley amended, giving Phobia a look of antipathy, almost disappointed that he was that prejudiced towards the inmates.

"Sorry. Your baby, does he have a name yet?" Phobia apologized, trying to change the subject to a more calming matter.

"No. I haven't thought of one yet. I was going to let Mistah J choose" Harley continued, looking down at the baby in her arms with a smile. Raven couldn't help but smile at this touching scene, the fact that Harley still had a hint of kindness underneath her mentally painted outside.

"Well, we better be going. Sorry we bothered you" Phobia mentioned, nodding to Raven before the two of them headed back over to the rope ladder.

"Wait, you're not going to tell Batman, are you?" Harley asked, her once cheery voice now turning into one of worry. Stopping in their tracks, Phobia and Raven looked at each other. They'd completely forgotten about the others and how they'd react. Looking back over at Harley, Phobia could see how worried she really was. He could see her it in her eyes. And it was all too real.

"Give us a second" Phobia insisted, pulling Raven into a miniature huddle.

"What do you think? Should we tell Batman?" Phobia asked, getting a shocked expression from his sibling.  
"Are you crazy? Social Services would take it away from her in a heartbeat. Think about it, Eddie. That baby's father is THE JOKER. And its mother is HARLEY QUINN" Raven explained, looking over her shoulder at Harley as she observed their discussion.

"Why would they take it away? Our dad was the Scarecrow. And your mom's Poison Ivy" Phobia retaliated, reminding Raven of her real parents.

"First, Ivy left me at an orphanage after I was born, so I wasn't technically taken away. And second, only ONE of your parents had a criminal record. That's why you got to stay with your mom. This baby has TWO criminals for parents" Raven explained, making it easier for Phobia to see where he'd been wrong.

"So what do we do? Keep this a secret from Batman?" Phobia asked, not even believing the words as they spilled out of his mouth.

"We have no choice. You and I both know Harley can be a bitch at times..." Raven said, before Phobia cut her off.

"A year ago, she tortured me and cut me across the cheek with a knife" he reminded, his eyes narrowed behind his visors.

"Granted. But this is her baby we're talking about. We can't have it taken away from her" Raven continued, getting a sigh out Phobia as he looked back over at Harley. He knew she was right. Dispersing from their huddle, the two of them looked back over at Harley, clutching her baby to her chest as if she thought they were going to take it there and then.

"Don't worry, Harley. You're secret's safe with us" Phobia said, answering her earlier question. Immediately, a smile spread across Harley's lips.

"Thank you. I owe you one. Do you need help or anything?" she insisted, her voice submerged in gratitude.  
"Actually, have you heard of anybody around here called Stainless and Steel?" Raven asked, getting Harley to narrow her eyebrows.

"Yeah, those two keep picking off my men like their lambs to the slaughter. What about them?" she asked again, guessing where this was heading.

"Well, we're all looking for them. Could you keep an eye out for them if they ever come through here?" Phobia requested, getting Harley's mouth to shift into a smile.

"Sure. I'll tell my boys on guard to keep their eyes peeled" she accepted, getting identical smiles to appear on Raven and Phobia's faces.

"Thanks. Good luck" Phobia bid before him and Raven climbed back down the rope ladder, leaving Harley by herself in the dusty office. Turning around, Harley placed the baby back in the crib. As his eyes slowly opened, Harley ran her finger across his cheek, caressing it affectionately.

"Don't worry, sweetie. I won't let anything happen to you" she reassured, getting a small gurgle from her offspring as he looked up at her.

**A/N: More next time. Please review and keep on breathing. It'd be a VERY bad thing if you didn't. Believe me, I've tried it. Hmm...all of a sudden I miss the taste of hospital food. **

**Laters**

**-7**


	7. Deaths and Partnerships

**A/N: I'm back! Please comment.**

**- Later, Park Row -**

Raven and Phobia casually strolled through Park Row, awaiting the arrival of their associates. Batman had told them that, when it reached 10:30PM, they were to gather in Park Row and wait for the Bat-Wing to pick them up. A group of inmates gathered around a fire gave them dirty glares, pathetically trying to scare the two of them as they entered the street with the Monarch Theater sitting at the end.

"What are you looking at?" Raven asked threateningly, putting fear into the inmates and making them turn back to the fire. Grinning with triumph, Raven turned back to the street as the two of them made their way past Finnigan's Bar.

"Hey, what're you kids doing down here?" a drunken voice called out, causing both teens to stop in their tracks. Standing outside the bar was a group of inmates, all holding some type of alcoholic beverage. Instantly, one of the group's members started stumbling towards them, his breath able to be smelt from a mile away. Approaching Raven, he started his rambling once more.

"Don't you know tonight's a school night? You never know what kind of freaks you can run into in here" he continued, his eyes eerily checking out Raven's body, disgusting her. As she tried to walk away, he grabbed her by the arm, stopping her from going any further.

"Freaks like me" he finished with a perverted grin, scaring Raven as she struggled in his grasp. On impulse, Phobia socked the inmate straight in the jaw, causing him to let go of Raven as he cried out in agony. Narrowing her eyes, Raven struck him in the chest, knocking him to the ground with a thud. The other inmates who'd been outside the bar watched in anger as the two vigilantes took him down.

"HEY YOU GUYS! GET OUT HERE!" one of them called inside, attracting both Raven's and Phobia's attention. Sure enough, a sea of inmates, both drunk and sober, poured out of the bar, each holding some form of weapon. Seeing that they were closing in, Phobia grabbed his scythe from his belt, preparing for seemed like an oncoming battle.

"Think we can take 'em?" he asked, turning to his sibling, her hands balled into fists and rose in defense.

"Here's hoping" she replied hopefully, trying to hold her nerve as the swarm closed in around them. Then, as if a guardian angel had been watching them, a voice called out from right at the back of the crowd.

"Stop. Let me through" he ordered, causing every inmate to stop and look back in the direction of the bar. Standing in the doorway was a man, somewhere in his mid-thirties, looking the vigilantes up and down, studying them. He wore a pair of black boots, an Arkham prisoner uniform with the jacket tied around his waist and a grey tank top. His black hair had been put up into a mohawk, but this wasn't the most interesting thing about him. Covering his visible skin were hundreds of tattoos, depicting skulls, crosses and anything remotely gothic. However, on his left cheek, a word had been tattooed: INK. No doubt it was his appointed nickname. As he made his way through the gap in the crowd, the sound of his boots hitting the ground echoed off of the walls. Stopping in front of Phobia, he stared into the visors, trying to glimpse of his eyes. But to no avail.

"What are you kids doing here?" he asked, tapping his boot impatiently.

"Look, we're not looking for trouble" Phobia tried negotiating, only for Ink to burst out laughing, soon joined by the other inmates.

"Sorry to disappoint you, kid. But you just came onto my turf. Therefore, you've found a whole heap of trouble" he explained, his once cheery voice becoming deep and serious. Narrowing his eyes behind his visors, Phobia's grip tightened around his scythe, resisting the urge to shove the blade straight through Ink's head.

"Just let us go. We haven't done anything to you" Phobia replied, putting on the same tone of voice as Ink had just done. Smirking, Ink nodded to a couple of inmates standing beside Raven. On order, the inmates grabbed Raven by the arms and held her in place. Seeing what they were doing, Phobia tried running at them, but three more prisoners grabbed held him back.

"LET HER GO, YOU ASSHOLES!" he ordered, struggling to get past the barricade formed in front of him. Feeling somebody grab his shoulder and spin him around, Phobia once again found himself face to face with Ink, a grin formed on his lips.

"Here me out. Let's say we have a little...challenge. If you win, we'll let both of you go" Ink suggested, getting Phobia to calm down slightly, his eyes still narrowed.

"And what happens if we lose?" he asked, worried about the wellbeing of him and his sibling.

"If you lose, we kill you. And...we'll keep her" Ink answered, causing Phobia's eyes to widen and look over at Raven as she continued to struggle against the might of the inmates.

"You bastard" Phobia growled, getting a chuckle from the ringleader of the inmates.

"Well, either you accept or we'll kill her right now" Ink proposed, nodding to the inmates holding Raven hostage. A third inmate headed over to her and brought a knife to her throat, causing her to gasp as she felt the cold metal pressed against her throat. Looking from Ink to Raven, Phobia knew he had no choice.

"Fine. What are we going to do?" he asked, lowering his head in weakness. Smirking, Ink turned back to the crowd of criminals and brought his hand to his mouth to amplify his words.

"Get the bikes! We're havin' a race!" he announced, getting a loud cheer from the crowd as a response.

**- Later -**

A white, chalk line scrawled across the street indicated both the start and finish line, surrounded by multiple inmates ready to watch the upcoming race. Every so often, they would place bets using whatever they thought of as valuable. Since it didn't seem that harmful, Gordon had accepted the suggestion and allowed the import of motorcycles to Arkham City. Sitting behind the white line was a cherry red, Victory Jackpot motorcycle with Ink sitting proudly upon it, revving the engine and getting multiple praises from his "followers". Standing on the other side of the line, Phobia and Raven stood with inmates at their backs, awaiting the arrival of Phobia's ride.

"Where is it? I can't race without a bike" Phobia reminded angrily, getting a death glare from inmate guarding him.

"Shut your trap. It'll be here soon" he replied gruffly, forcing Phobia to turn back to the road, crossing his arms worriedly. He'd been imagining the scenario in which he lost and the inmates had killed him. What would they do to Raven? Would Batman or Daredevil be able to save her? These thoughts were blocked out of his head as the sound of a second engine filled the street, catching the attention of both inmates and vigilantes. Slowly, an inmate led a black, Harley-Davidson Blackline out and stopped it beside Ink on the white line. Both Phobia and Raven stared at the motorcycle, making their way over to it as it continued to rumble, almost beckoning Phobia to ride it. Sitting down and placing his hands on the handlebars, Phobia had a go at revving the engine, a warmth spreading through him a loud roar echoed off the walls of the abandoned buildings.

"Do you even know how to ride one of these things?" Raven asked nervously, making sure that Phobia had thought this plan through.

"I've played a lot of Grand Theft Auto. How different can it be?" he asked in response, watching as an inmate stood between the two bikes on the white line.

"You'll be racing from here to the Church, you will then turn back and head back here. The first one back wins. Remember, this is a free-for-all. No rules" he began, preparing Ink and Phobia for their duel. Exchanging determined glances, the two competitors turned back to the main road, readying themselves.  
"On your marks..." the inmate began, holding his hand above his head. Revving his engine, Phobia took a second to glance at his sister, mentally wishing him luck with a nod. Fearing that he wouldn't be so lucky, Phobia nodded back, trying to keep his cool.

"...get set..." the inmate continued, his hand still rose, glancing at the two of them as they continuously revved their engines. Unpredictably, Phobia felt a tap on his shoulder and, on impulse turned to face Ink.

"Like he said, no rules" he recapped, right before bringing back his fist and hitting Phobia straight in the face, his mask blocking out some of the pain. As you'd expect, every inmate cheered, angering Phobia as he clutched his face.

"...GO!" the inmate announced, catching Phobia off guard. Immediately, Ink flew out of the starting position, leaving Phobia behind. Quickly, Phobia gave chase, turning round the corner and disappearing after his opponent. Passing the Courthouse, they headed up the street and turned left as the Church came into view. Looking back, Ink narrowed his eyes to see Phobia catching up fast. Looking up the street, they saw a stack of tires which had been made into a makeshift turning post. As the two of them skidded around the post, they started riding in the other direction, heading back the way they'd came.

"_Eddie, are you there?_" Oracle's voice suddenly echoed over his earpiece, surprising him.

"Not a good time, Oracle. I'm in the middle of a race" Phobia replied, trying to keep his focus on the road.

"_I know. I hacked into the security cameras. Up ahead's an old fence leading to Crime Alley. Should be easy to break down with enough speed_" she explained, getting a smile to appear across Phobia's hidden face as he drove straight towards the fence, closing his eyes as he made contact.

Ink drove past the Courthouse and stopped at the start of the home stretch. Looking back, he laughed to see that Phobia was gone.

"_Little bastard must've gotten lost_" he thought as he looked down the street, multiple inmates cheering his name at the finish line. However, as he revved up his motorbike, he heard a roar above his head as Phobia flew over the metal fence of the Monarch Theater, landing in front of him as he sped over the finish line. Skidding to a halt, every inmate stood in shock at what had just happened. Raven let out a cheer of joy as she ran over to her half-brother, flinging her arms round his neck as he dismounted from his bike. Driving over the finish line, Ink did the same and headed over to Phobia, every inmate at his back.

"That's not fair. You cheated" Ink accused, pointing his finger straight at Phobia's face.

"You said it yourself, no rules. I won, now beat it" Phobia replied, pushing Ink's finger away and crossing his arms triumphantly. Angered, Ink grabbed Phobia around the neck and pulled him away towards the group of inmates.

"I never lose, kid. GRAB THE GIRL!" he ordered, causing a whole group of inmates to run over to Raven and pull her away from Phobia as he struggled in Ink's headlock.

"STAY...AWAY...FROM HER!" he choked out as he lost his air, trying to get out of it the best he could. Raven tried to do the same, but the inmates were too strong for her.

_FOOOOOMM!_

Everybody froze as a bright, orange light filled the end of the street, disappearing soon after. Standing a few feet away, a flamethrower in his grasp, was Red Hood, staring emotionlessly at the crowd.

"You heard those kids. Now get out of here before I go Krakatoa on your asses!" he ordered, pulling the trigger once more and launching another ball of fire into the air.

"SHIT, IT'S THAT RED HOOD GUY! RUN!" Ink warned before him and his fellow prisoners ran, leaving Phobia and Raven as the last ones there. As Red Hood made his way over, they couldn't help but study him, wondering who the hell he was.

"Red Hood?" Phobia asked, turning to Raven who just shrugged. Redirecting his gaze to the street, he was surprised to see that Red Hood was already in front of them.

"You kids okay?" he asked, looking at each of them, his face hidden behind the motorcycle helmet. Not sure how to react, Phobia paused, studying this new adversary with caution. For all he knew, he could be a criminal.

"Umm...yeah. We're fine" Phobia answered, still on edge.

"Thanks for showing up" Raven seconded, trying her best to put on a smile. Unlike Phobia, she was more trustworthy. A kind yet simple-minded trait.

"Heh, no problem. But you really shouldn't be in here. It's...what are you doing in here anyway? And what's with the outfits?" Red Hood asked, gesturing to their choice of attire.

"Oh, I'm Phobia. This is Raven. We're part of a team called Satan's Army back in New York" Phobia explained, seeming to intrigue the strange savior.

"Satan's Army. Yeah, I've heard of you guys. What are you doing in Arkham City? Or Gotham for that matter" Red Hood asked, still concerned about their presence in the super-prison.

"Batman asked us to help him with a case. These two killers called Stainless and Steel are planning something. We still don't know what it is though" Raven remarked, continuing the story. Immediately, at the very mention of Batman's name, Red Hood froze, his eyes unnoticeably widening behind the black-tinted face-shield. Noticing his sudden stillness, Phobia and Raven both exchanged concerned expressions.

"Do you know Batman?" Phobia asked, causing Red Hood to come back to reality, completely unaware of how long he'd been zoning out.

"Kind of. I...never mind. Just try and stay out of trouble. I don't want to have to come and rescue you again" he warned before heading off, slowed down due to the extra weight of the flamethrower.

"Okay. What was that all about?" Raven questioned as Red Hood disappeared out of sight, the only trace of him being the sound of his footsteps. But even they faded away as the scream of the Bat-Wing's turbo-powered engines filled the air. Looking up, the two of them covered their ears as it flew overhead, slowing down as it began to lower down to the street, just a couple of feet away from where they were standing.

"You two ready to go?" a deep voice called out. Turning around, they saw Batman standing behind them, his cape flailing in the wind, blown back by the tremendous force of the engines.

"Yeah, but where's Matt?" Phobia asked, trying to outmatch the Bat-Wing's cries. On cue, a crimson-clad figure dropped down into the street and headed over to Batman, cringing as his sensitive hearing felt like somebody had stuck a power-drill in his ears.

"Ready when you are" Daredevil announced, allowing the four of them to make their way over to the Bat-Wing. Walking up alongside him, Phobia leaned in to Daredevil's ear.

"You had sex with Catwoman, didn't you?" he asked, causing Daredevil's eyebrows to rise suddenly. But before he could even ask how he knew that, Phobia answered it promptly.

"You have your '_I just had sex_' face on. Plus, one of your boot buckles is still undone" he explained, nodding down to Daredevil's boot, its strap blowing behind him. His cheeks turned red as he tried to hide it from Phobia's gaze, rolling his eyes in embarrassment.

**- Later that night, Wayne Manor -**

Oracle, or Barbara Gordon as she known by her friends, typed away absentmindedly at the Bat-Computer, studying the screen as multiple security camera feeds popped up in several different windows. Each one showed either an empty street or a few inmates trying to pass the time they had left in their sentence. Hearing footsteps from behind her, she quickly spun her wheelchair around and observed the teenagers standing behind her. Eddie wore a pair of black pajama bottoms with a black and grey flannel shirt. Charlotte wore a pair of grey sweats and a white tank top. Smiling, Oracle turned back to the Bat-Computer and continued typing away. As soon as Batman and the others had arrived back at the manor, Oracle had the pleasure of being introduced to them. She was still surprised to find out that Scarecrow had two kids. Eddie and Charlotte headed over to her, standing on either side of her wheelchair.

"Anything good?" Eddie asked, watching as the multiple feeds popped up at random time, causing his eyes to dart around the screen.

"Nein. Whoever these two are, they haven't shown up on any cameras" Oracle asked in response, turning look at each of them.

"Do you remember what they look like?" Eddie asked, getting a 'seriously?' look from the red-headed hacker.

"Of course. I'm using the Bat-Computer to scan the face patterns of anybody who passes a camera. Then, it'll run a comparison scan for both Stainless and Steel and diagnose a match" she explained, getting wide-eyed expressions from the two onlookers.

"Sounds impressive" Eddie commented whilst nodding his head, trying to look like he knew what she was talking about.

"Sure is. But that's enough about my day. How was Arkham City? Any problems?" Oracle asked, craning her neck around to look and the two of them.

"Nah, nothing. It wasn't as bad as we'd expected" Charlotte lied, giving Eddie a nod. To which he nodded back understandingly.

"Didn't that big tower blow up a while ago?" he asked, referring to the events of Joker's last night.

"Yeah, Batman was lucky to get out of there alive" Oracle answered, surprising Charlotte.

"Batman was up there when it exploded? What the hell happened?" she asked, getting a smile from Oracle.

"I figured you might ask" she replied, opening a folder on the computer and selecting a video file. When the window opened, it revealed a camera shot of Batman holding someone's head against a window. He was an elderly man with a beard, a bald head and glasses. He wore a white doctor's coat with the Arkham City logo imprinted on it. As he was held against the glass, Batman spoke.

"_Look at what you've done_" he ordered, orange light shining and smoke rising from far below.

"_It's glorious, isn't it?_" the man replied darkly, just before Batman pulled his head away and shoved him to the ground. A beeping suddenly filled the room they were in, ceasing as the words 'PROTOCOL 10 DEACTIVATED' appeared on a computer screen in bright letters.

"_You're finished, Strange_" Batman announced, walking over to observe the message on the computer. However, Strange stood back up, glaring at him.

"_I have powerful friends, Batman. This is just the beginning. You cannot stop me. Soon I will command forces beyond your comprehension. I have achieved what the great Batman could never do. Gotham will forever thank Hugo Str-ANGE!_" he cried out as a sword was shoved through his back, emerging from the other side and staining his coat a deep crimson. As the sword was pulled back out, he fell to the ground, revealing the man standing behind him. He had graying black hair, pale skin and wore a strange armor-like ensemble.

"_Your part of this is over, Professor Strange_" the man informed, placing the sword back in its sheath.

"_Why? I did everything you wanted_" Strange gasped, his life slipping away by the second.

"_Indeed. You clearly demonstrated that Batman is better than you. Let him die, detective_" the man insisted as he gazed out of the window. Quickly, Batman rushed to Strange's aid, looking from him to the man.  
"_He was your puppet, Ra's. Why?_" Batman ordered, holding Strange's head up as he started becoming pale.

"_You said I could replace you. This was OUR vision_" Strange reminded, his voice becoming slower and more breathless.

"_And you failed to see it through_" Ra's replied, turning around to face the slowly dying doctor.

"_But-_"

"_When you came to me with Batman's identity, I gave you this chance to prove your worth. Providing you with limitless resources for your plan. You came...close. But you have failed me_" Ra's continued, cutting off his pleas and turning back to the window.

"_He's going to die, Ra's. He needs medical attention now!_" Batman growled, narrowing his eyebrows at the aged man.

"_Do as you wish, detective. He's already dead to me_" Ra's replied, not showing a hint of emotion.

"_I'm so close. Just...give me more time_" Strange begged, his life slipping out of reach.

"_Too late. I don't give second chances. This is a good day, detective_" Ra's denied, turning back to face the Dark Knight.

"_Good? People are dying_" Batman reminded angrily, almost completely unaware of the dying man beside him.

"_The world will not miss them. Why should you? Look at my work. You may have defeated Strange, but this...this is just the beginning. Come with me. We will wipe this world clean_" Ra's insisted, gazing out over the super-prison with pride, content at how well his plan was going.

"_Never. You're wrong, Ra's. You've become what you've always fought against. And I WILL stop you_" Batman replied, emphasizing the last sentence. Laughing, Ra's turned back to the window and looked out into the night

"_I doubt it_" he replied simply, not giving a damn about what he had to say. He had won. He was in control. And there was nothing anybody could say to stop him. Well...

"_Computer:...Activate...Protocol...eleven..._" Strange forced out, knowing he didn't have much time left. Surprised, Ra's turned to face his former ally, the sounds of cybernetic beeping coming from the computer.

"_What are you doing?_" he ordered, ignored by the dying man as his last command left his throat.

"_Passcode:...Wayne..._" Strange finished with his last breath, shutting his eyes as his life was taken from him, the only thing left being his corpse. Immediately, a static siren sounded over the computer speakers and a countdown appeared on the screen.

5...

4...

3...

"_NO!_" Ra's protested as the countdown continued, his plan ruined by a dead man.

2...

"_GET OUT OF THERE!_" Oracle's voice warned over the speaker system, causing Batman to run at Ra's.

1...

Just as the two of them made contact with the window, a bright flash filled the screen for a split second. Then everything went static.

Charlotte and Eddie could only blink as they took in what they'd just saw. Closing the video window, Oracle turned to the two of them.

"That was all the footage I could retrieve from the internal severs before they got fried" she explained awaiting a response.

"What happened when they rebuilt Wonder Tower? What did they do with all that equipment and stuff?" Eddie asked, more concerned about its reconstruction rather than the fate of the man Batman had propelled out of the window.

"Nothing. They're all still there. All it took was a quick wipe of Strange's old files and they were free to use for the security systems" Oracle explained, intriguing Eddie as he observed the Bat-Computer's immense screen.

"Has a guy in a red helmet showed up on any of these cameras?" Charlotte asked, immediately catching Oracle's attention.

"Why do you ask?" she asked, already knowing who she was talking about.

"Back in Arkham City, we were caught by these crazy bikers. But he saved us. Do you know him?" Charlotte asked in response. However, instead of just answering, Oracle opened up another window on the screen which showed multiple photographs of criminals. Each one wore a red helmet, mask or sack over their head.

"There have been many people donning the persona of 'Red Hood' ever since it was first used by Joker" Oracle explained, making Eddie's blood run cold.

"You don't think its Joker, do you?" he asked worriedly, turning to look at Oracle who looked back reassuringly.

"Impossible. Joker's body was cremated. It can't be him" she explained, calming him down. As another window popped up, Charlotte recognized it instantly.

"There. That's the one we saw" she said, pointing at the screen. Closing the other windows, Oracle zoomed in on the image, showing a low quality shot of Red Hood on a roof in Arkham City.

"I was able to catch this shot of him a couple of nights ago. Batman was on the look-out for him before he heard about Stainless and Steel" Oracle explained, concerning Eddie as he looked from the screen to her.

"Why was Batman looking for him?" he asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"He arrived out of nowhere a year and a half ago. At first we thought he was just another 'Red Hood' wannabe. But then, after Joker died, Arkham City became his base of operations" she continued, bringing up multiple screenshots of Red Hood in Arkham City. In each one, he was either just making his way down the streets, leaping onto roofs or in a fight. One image showed him beating the crap out of two inmates in an alleyway. One of them was slumped back against the wall with a bullet hole in his head and the other was getting his face beaten in.

"What was he doing in Arkham City?" Charlotte asked, carefully studying each of the pictures and grimacing at the sight of the dead inmate.

"When Batman interrogated a few inmates, they just said he went to the bar and played a few card games. That and he got into a few fights. All of them won by him" Oracle explained, spinning her wheelchair around to look at them.

"And that's all you know?" Eddie asked, awkwardly having to look down at her.

"Pretty much. You kids should get some sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow" Oracle insisted, crossing her arms sternly.

"Sure thing. You coming, Char'?" Eddie asked as he headed away to the exit, but Charlotte just stood still, looking from Oracle to Eddie.

"Uh...yeah. I'll be there in a second" she called after him, turning back to face Oracle.

"Barbara? You've been here for a while, right?" she asked, getting a quizzical expression from the former Bat-Girl.

"If its history you want to know about, I think you should talk to Alfred" she suggested, turning back to the Bat-Computer's screen.

"No, you don't understand. Has Bruce ever flipped out before? Like...gone full psycho?" Charlotte asked, concerning Oracle enough to get her to stop typing.

"Not that I can think of. He didn't do that to you did he?" she asked with trepidation, spinning around to face her.

"Well, I accidentally went into his room and picked up a photo by his bed..." she trailed off, noticing Oracle remove her glasses and rub her eyes.

"Was it a photo of a guy? Brown hair? Good looking?" she asked, letting Charlotte know that she understood.

"Who was he?" she asked in response, causing Oracle to turn back to the Bat-Computer and bring up a photograph of the same man. Except he was dressed in a different version of Robin's costume. This one had a more red and black color scheme than the current Robin's green and black ensemble.

"His name was Jason Todd, the second Robin" Oracle explained, surprising Charlotte immensely.

"Wait, there have been THREE Robins?" she asked, her eyes widened with shock.

"Yeah, Dick Grayson was the first. But then he went on to be Nightwing. Jason arrived a few months later to become the second. Then, Tim Drake became the third. If you're lucky, you may meet him tomorrow" Oracle continued, still concerning Charlotte.

"How did Jason become the second Robin?" she asked, wanting to hear the whole story.

"A few years ago, Batman had just foiled a hold-up at Gotham Bank. But when he was going to head home, he found this homeless kid in a red hoodie trying to steal the BatMobile's tires. Being the kind guy he is, Batman took him in and revealed his secret. After that, Batman went on to train him. Soon enough, me and Batman had a second Robin at our sides. I'd never seen him happier" she explained happily, getting a smile to spread across Charlotte's lips.

"What happened to him?" she asked, accidentally causing the smile to disappear from Oracle's face.  
"A couple of years later, Joker had broken out of Arkham and was held up in a meat-packing plant near the docks..."

**- 5 Years Earlier -**

The sounds of police sirens and bright red and blue lights filled the area as the multiple police cars converged on the, cops flooding out of the side doors and gathering around the building. People from the press had gathered behind the human barricade of squad members, trying their best to get a shot of the dilemma unfolding. Standing by his car, Gordon rolled his eyes in irritation as a voice replied from the other end of his radio feed.

"Are you even listening to me? Joker's holding all the workers in that place as hostages; he's threatening to kill them all. Until Batman gets here, I need every available squad member here at once. Understand?" he argued before placing his radio back on his belt. Suddenly, a roar filled the air as the sleek, black car pulled over beside the sea of police cars. As the top opened, Batman climbed out followed by Bat-Girl and Robin as they tried to get out of the small space behind the driver's seat.

"You really need to install another seat" Robin insisted, leaning back and letting out a sigh of relief as he heard his spine crack.

"I never expected to have more than one person in the car" Batman replied almost jokingly, rolling his eyes at the two of them.

"Surely it must have crossed your mind at some point" Bat-Girl seconded with Robin, ignored by the Dark Knight as he made his way over to Gordon.

"It's about time you got here" he said gruffly, almost like he'd lost all his kindness.

"The traffic's terrible. I heard about Joker's breakout. What's he doing?" Batman asked, looking towards the meat-packing plant with a grimace. Out of all the places Joker could hold a standoff, it had to be at a place with dead meat hanging in every room. Sick.

"He's got five hostages in there. All of them workers. He says he only wants you to enter. And that he doesn't want your...pets following you. No offence" Gordon apologized, looking to Robin and Bat-Girl considerately.

"None taken" Robin replied calmly, taking no abuse to the criminal's comment.

"We're not letting you go alone" Bat-Girl insisted, clenching her hand into a fist and narrowing her eyes at the Caped Crusader.

"I never said you had to. I've got a plan" he replied, a partial grin forming on his lips.

"Of course you do" Bat-Girl replied with a smile of her own.

**- Inside the meat-packing plant -**

Batman's footsteps echoed all around the room as he made his way past all the hooks and conveyer belts, the scent of raw meat wafting up his nostrils and making him feel queasy. He froze as he heard something from behind him. Spinning around, a Batarang in his grasp, Batman lowered it to see that nobody was there. However, his blood ran cold as he heard the Joker's trademark cackle fill the room. Freezing in place, Batman's eyes glanced around the room, his eyebrows narrowed into a deathly glare.

"Stop this, Joker. Just come on out" he ordered, waiting for any sign of movement.

"Oh come on, Bats. What happened to you? You used to love our little games of hide and seek" Joker announced mockingly, causing Batman to spin around to face him. Joker stood on a conveyer belt, a pistol in his grasp and aimed straight at Batman's face. Gritting his teeth, Batman started heading over to Joker, cracking his knuckles eagerly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Bats. Not if you want those hostages to stay safe" Joker threatened, forcing Batman to stand down, raising his hands defensively.

"That's more like it. Now, I bet you're wondering: Why would he break out so randomly? What would he gain from kidnapping some lowly meat-packers and threatening their lives?" Joker contemplated, walking back and forth on the conveyer belt whilst waving the gun around. Luckily, he wasn't able to notice Bat-Girl and Robin as they made their way to the door which led to the lower part of the building. As they opened the door, they looked towards Batman with concern, to which he responded with a sneaky wink. Grinning, the two of them headed through the door, quietly closing it behind.  
"Well, don't you want an answer?" Joker asked again, noticing Batman's long pause. Quickly coming back to reality, Batman redirected his gaze back at Joker, narrowing his eyes angrily.

"Cause its fun" Joker finally answered, angering Batman even further.

"You're insane. And you're going to pay for what you've done tonight" he retaliated, getting Joker to release another hearty laugh.

"Oh, Bats. I'm just getting started" he replied, his voice dropping to a darker tone.

**- With the others -**

Bat-Girl and Robin headed through the maze of corridors beneath the plant, the cold air from the assorted freezers chilling them to the bone. Using the detective mode in her cowl, Bat-Girl was able to track the life signs of the hostages, leading her and Robin to their location. Reaching a door, Bat-Girl amplified the sensors, making sure that this was the right room. Hearing multiple heartbeats coming from the others side, she nodded definitely.

"This one" she informed, stepping out of the way and allowing Robin to stand in front of the door. Bringing his boot back, he launched straight at the door, breaking it off its hinges and causing it to fall to the floor. Looking inside, they saw five men, all wearing blue jumpsuits, tied together with rope and sitting down on the floor.

"Who the hell is that?" one of the men asked, unable to see the door due to the direction he was sitting in.

"Calm down, man. It's Robin and Bat-Girl" the man facing the door asked reassuringly, a look of relief coating his face. Heading over to them, both sidekicks retrieved their Batarangs and used them to cut the ropes holding the workers in place.

"Thank you so much. I thought we were going to die in here" the man continued thankfully as regained his footing. Bat-Girl and Robin watched as one of the workers needed assistance to stand back up, gasping in pain whenever pressure was applied to his left leg.

"What happened to him?" Robin asked with apprehension, looking back at the worker they'd been talking to.

"Joker tried to scare us by jamming a meat hook in Don's leg. We need to get him out of here" the worker persevered, getting Robin and Bat-Girl to exchange nods.

"Batman's distracting Joker, but he won't have much time left. You need to be as quick and quiet as possible. Okay?" Bat-Girl required, getting responses of agreement from the other workers.

"Will you be okay on that leg?" Robin asked, directing his gaze at Don.

"Don't worry, I can still walk" he replied confidently, trying not to look weak in front of the two heroes.

"Good. Now come on" Bat-Girl instructed, leading them all out of the store room and back down the corridor.

**- With Batman -**

"C'mon, Bats. Can't you at least try to put on a smile? After all, I save all my best zingers for you" Joker explained, making Batman's blood boil.

"They're not the type of comedy I enjoy" he replied deeply, his eyes still narrowed seriously.

"Then what kind of comedy are you into? There are all sorts of comedy. Stand-up, insult, stop me if that's the kind you enjoy" Joker rambled, completely unaware that Bat-Girl and Robin were escorting the workers towards the entrance, Batman watching happily. Because he knew that as soon as they were safely outside, he could finally put his fist in Joker's jaw. Suddenly, Don fell to the ground, letting out a cry of pain as he made contact with the solid floor. Spinning around, Joker's smile contorted into a frown as he realized Batman's plan.

"You little pests!" he cried out as he aimed his gun at the man on the floor. But as he pulled the trigger, Batman lunged at him, causing him to lose his aim and shoot at one of the meat hooks, causing the large, chunk of meat to drop to the floor with a large squish. Pulling the gun out of Joker's grasp, Batman brought back his fist and launched it straight into Joker's face, causing a trickle of blood to roll down his lips. Standing up, he rolled Joker onto his back, reached into his utility belt and retrieved a pair of handcuffs. Kneeling down, he quickly placed them on Joker's wrist, leaving him temporarily incapacitated.

"GET UP!" Batman ordered, pulling Joker up onto his feet and leading him out of the building, followed by Bat-Girl, Robin and the remaining hostages. As Don and the other workers were escorted to the ambulance, Batman led Joker over to a police van, Gordon waiting for him.

"What's up, Commish? How's your kid?" Joker asked, getting Gordon's eyes to narrow.

"Get him in the van" he ordered, allowing Batman to shove him towards the open back doors.

"Okay, go ahead and arrest me. I really thought you'd want to know where the final hostage is. Tell me, how is that Nightwing friend of yours doing?" he asked, getting Batman to freeze in place and spin Joker around.

"What are you talking about? What have you done with Nightwing?" he ordered, getting another full-blooded laugh from the Clown Prince of crime.

"Oh, he's fine. For now. All you have to do is go back into there and find him" he explained, nodding towards the seemingly empty building.

"I'll go. Keep an eye on him" Robin implored as he made his way back over to the plant, disappearing into the dark as Bat-Girl turned and glowered at Joker angrily.

"One thing I don't understand: how did you kidnap Nightwing in the first place?" she asked curiously, a hint of hatred creeping in to her tone as she spoke. Joker whispered something in a deep tone. Unable to be heard.

"What did you say?" Batman ordered, hitting Joker in the face to try and get the point across. Spitting some blood onto the ground, Joker looked back up at Batman, the red of his blood mixing in with the blood of his lips.

"I didn't" he snarled, causing Batman to raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean you didn't?" he ordered, pushing him backwards against the metal of the police van.

"I mean I didn't kidnap Nightwing" Joker explained, confusing Batman, Bat-Girl, even Gordon.  
"Why would lie about that?" Bat-Girl asked, crossing her arms strictly like a school teacher.

"I have no idea, Bat-Girl. I mean, it's not as if I lied to try and get the three of you back in that building. But since the Boy Blunder's the only one who went in, I'll have to make an exception" Joker rambled on, confusing the others even further.

"An exception to what?" Batman demanded, the clown now really driving his patience.

"The body count" Joker answered darkly, blood now staining his lower face. Suddenly, a beeping noise filled the air, emanating from behind Joker. Spinning him around, Batman saw a small, hand-held tablet device in his hand. It must've been hidden up his sleeve. Literally. Pulling it out of his grasp, he shoved Joker face first into the van, causing him to cry out in pain as he fell to the ground. Looking at the tablet's screen, Batman saw a digital countdown clock, illuminated in blood red numbers. What was worse, the clock didn't have much time left.

00:09...

00:08...

00:07...

"I hope you said goodbye to your ward, Bats" Joker advised, his grin looking creepier than ever. Instantly, Batman and Bat-Girl exchanged horrified expressions.

00:06...

00:05...

00:04...

The countdown had nearly run out. Throwing the tablet to the ground, Batman ran towards the warehouse, his heart beating faster than ever before. Reaching up to his cowl, Batman pressed in the communication button.

"ROBIN, GET OUT OF THERE!" he ordered, desperate to get to him in time.

00:03...

00:02...

00:01...

"Bruce, what are you talking abo-

BOOM!

The ground itself shook as the building blew apart, sending large chunks of concrete in all direction, some landing on the hoods of the squad cars. As for Batman, he'd been thrown back by the force of the explosion and had landed on his back. His costume slightly torn by random chunks of rubble, his exposed flesh now caked in dust. Pushing himself up, he looked towards the large pile of debris where the plant once stood, flames enveloping the edges of the blast zone.

"Robin..." Batman gasped, barely a whisper as he ran towards the rubble, lifting the larger masses out of the way to search for his ward, repeatedly praying that the worst had not happened.

"Robin!" Batman repeated, now shouting in anger as his voice became needier. Lifting a final layer of rubble out of the way, his heart stopped as he saw what was underneath. Jason had a huge fracture on his left-side temple, dried blood mixed with dust dried into his face from the head down to the cheek. His body was broken.

Still.

Unmoving.

Placing his ear to his ward's chest, Batman nearly screamed.

No heartbeat.

Turning on detective mode, he scanned the body.

No life signs.

No vital scans.

Bringing a hand to his mouth, Batman held back tears as he brought Robin's body into a hug. Wishing that he'd hug back.

"Jason...I'm so sorry" he whispered, letting the walls down just to let a single tear roll down his cheek.

**(Music playing: Jen Titus – Oh Death)**

The police were barking over their radios, trying to hold back the press and call in the fire crews. However, nobody could predict what was about to happen. Every guard paused as they saw a figure emerging from the smoke and flames, a large object in his arms. Seeing who it was, everybody silenced, the only noises being the radios as the officers on the other end ordered responses. Slowly, Batman emerged from the mountain of crumbled debris, the corpse of his ward hanging limp as he was carried past the crowd of cops, all staring in disbelief at the scene. Bat-Girl gasped and covered her mouth at the sight of the Robin's unmoving body. She, unlike Batman, allowed an appropriate amount of tears to roll down her cheeks, accompanied by choked sobs.

"Oh my God...Jason..." she whispered, unheard by Gordon as Batman approached him, Robin's broken body still in his arms.

"WE NEED MEDICS!" Gordon ordered, forcing two paramedics to run over with a gurney, allowing Batman to place his ward down on it.

"Take care of him" Batman requested, getting nods of understanding from the two medics before they took Robin back over to the ambulance. As soon as he was placed in the back, the ambulance drove away, the top sirens blaring as it veered round a corner and out of sight. Slowly, Batman's heartbroken expression began to change. His eyebrows narrowed into a glare, he bared his clenched teeth and his breathing became fiercer. Turning back to the police van, he saw Joker smiling back at him, a sly grin still stuck on his lips. Heading over to him, Batman brought back his fist and hit him straight in the face again, knocking his head back against the police van and sending him back down to the ground. Grabbing him by the shoulder, Batman pulled him back up to his feet and shoved his head against the metal of the van. Retrieving a Batarang from his belt, Batman held the sharpened edge to Joker's neck, more than ready to slice it across and end his life. Letting out a muffled chuckle, Joker looked back at Batman cordially.

"Go ahead. I dare you" he challenged, getting an angry grunt from Batman as he shoved his head against the van. Finally knocking him unconscious.

"Get him out of here, now!" Batman ordered, looking at Joker's body as it slumped to the ground. Instantly, two squad members grabbed Joker by the shoulders and threw him in the back of the van. And after they'd climbed inside, the van instantly drove away, leaving Batman, Bat-Girl and Gordon alone.

"I'm sorry, Batman. I...I can't imagine how you're feeling" Gordon comforted, placing a hand on Batman's shoulder as he watched the van until it was gone. Suddenly, a voice blared over Gordon's radio, causing him to bring his hand away.

"_Attention, all units. Attention, all units. We've just had confirmed reports of Ra's al Ghul missing from his cell. I repeat, Ra's al Ghul has escaped. Requesting an instant search of the city, over_" the voice explained, causing a worried expression to spread across Gordon's face as he looked up at Batman.

"Look, you and Bat-Girl could just go home. I can handle it from here" he insisted, waiting for Batman's response as he stared at the ground.

"No, Jim. I'm fine. Come on, Bat-Girl" he instructed before turning away and walking towards the Bat-Mobile. Pouting, Bat-Girl quickly caught up with him, trying to walk at the same pace.

"Batman, you don't have to this" she stated, expecting Batman to reply. But he just kept on walking, not even turning to look at her. Pressing a button on his wrist gauntlet, the door of the Bat-Mobile opened, allowing the two of them access.

"Batman, please liste-" Bat-Girl pleaded, cut off as Batman grabbed her by the wrist and forced her to stop moving.

"Just get in the car. Now" he ordered with narrowed eyes, no emotion in his voice whatsoever. Worried about what he'd do if she declined, Bat-Girl nodded, climbing into the space behind the driver's seat. As the two of them drove off into the night, Bat-Girl couldn't help but think. She couldn't explain it, but she almost missed that cramped feeling she had whenever Robin sat back there with her.

**(Music ends)**

Charlotte covered her mouth in shock as Oracle finished the story, still frozen in disbelief. If she'd known how much pain Bruce had gone through, she wouldn't have gone anywhere near that photo. Removing her hands from her mouth, Charlotte redirected her gaze at the boy on the screen, a smile on his masked face.

"That's horrible. I had no idea" she said, looking back at Oracle with saddened eyes.

"Bruce doesn't like to tell people that much. Tim became the third Robin about two months later" Oracle told, giving a more accurate explanation before noticing the time in the bottom right corner of the screen.

"Like I said before, you should get some sleep before Bruce notices" she repeated, trying her best to put on a smile.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow" Charlotte replied, bidding farewell as she headed for the exit.

**- Meanwhile, Arkham City -**

Penguin paced back and forth outside the "operating room" he'd assigned in the museum, a place for his men to go if ever they were injured. Some of his crew had practiced with medical supplies, knowing just enough to patch somebody up if they were cut or shot. Suddenly, the sound of angry shouting came from beyond the door, a small and quiet voice answering worriedly. Then, a gunshot sounded, causing Penguin to jump back out of fear. The shouting continued as one of Penguin's men ran out of the door, Two-Face's angry ranting following him as he closed the door.

"...AND IF I EVER SEE YOU AGAIN, I'LL CUT OFF YOUR LEG AND SHOVE-" he was cut off as the inmate slammed the door, panting heavily as he tried to calm down.

"Well? How bad are his injuries?" Penguin asked, taking a puff of his cigar as he awaited the diagnosis.

"Umm...well...whoever shot him blew out both of his knees. And...he's now...p-paralyzed from the waist down" the inmate explained, backing away from his boss as ran his hand down his face.

"Just get out of here. I'm done with you" Penguin ordered, pointing down the hall leading out of the Iceberg Lounge. Obeying his orders, the inmates headed away, allowing Penguin to enter the operating room. Peeking inside, he groaned to see the other inmate lying dead on the ground, a bullet hole through his chest. Looking to the right, he saw Two-Face staring out of the window, sitting in a dusty, old wheelchair with a pistol in one hand and his unique coin in the other.

"Jeez, Dent. Did you really have to shoot 'im?" he asked, closing the door behind him with a small thud. Slowly, Two-Face placed his pistol in his lap and forced his wheelchair to turn around, still getting used to his new stance.

"What did you expect, Cobblepot? We're never going to walk again" he replied, referring to his split personality.

"C'mon, Harv'. You should be lucky my boys found you when they did. You could've died up on that roof" Penguin reminded, getting an irritable sigh from the former district attorney. As Penguin headed over, Two-Face noticed a limp in his step, concerning him.

"Who did this to you anyway?" Penguin asked, still surprised that somebody in this prison had the balls to try and kill Two-Face.

"Red Hood" he replied slowly, snarling at the end of each word. Obviously, his bad side was trying to get involved in the conversation.

"Why the hell would he try and kill you?" Penguin asked, tossing his old cigar into a metal wastebasket beside him and taking a new one out of his coat. Offering it to Two-Face, he fanned it away with his severely burnt hand. Shrugging, Penguin placed the cigar in his mouth and lit it up with the lighter in his pocket.

"I told my men to follow him back to his hideout and trash the place once he'd left. I guess he really holds a grudge. I only told them to do it because he'd killed most of them" Two-Face explained, getting looks of what looked like understanding from the arrogant mob-boss. Noticing Penguin's limp once more, Two-Face couldn't help but ask about it.

"What happened to your leg?" he asked, causing Penguin to look down at his aching appendage with a sigh.

"Batman sent one of his friends to come and rescue Catwoman. Some prick calling himself Daredevil" he answered, getting Two-Face's good eye to widen in surprise, also capturing Penguin's attention.

"Do you know 'im?" he asked, taking in a mouthful of smoke from his cigar.

"Unfortunately. A year ago, when Crane faked his death, Batman came over here and interrogated me for information about this guy using fear toxin in New York. He brought a guy called Daredevil along. Now he's part of Satan's Army" Two-Face explained angrily, recalling the events of the year before.

"Who's Satan's Army?" Penguin asked, bringing his cigar away from his mouth with interest.

"A group of vigilantes working in New York. If Daredevil's here, Satan's Army is with them" Two-Face explained, seconds before the door to the room opened. Turning their heads in the door's direction, the two of them were surprised to see a woman standing in the doorway.

"You couldn't be more right, Two-Face" she said as she kicked the door shut behind her, getting angry looks from her acquaintances.

"You? You're the bitch who stripped down one of my interference generators" Penguin remembered, having a good mind to blow her brains out there and then. But somehow, he knew she wanted something.

Confused, Two-Face turned to Penguin with a quizzical expression, half hidden behind his permanent burn.

"Oswald, who is she?" he ordered, still behind on the times.

"Just somebody who wants the same thing as you: To see Batman in a pool of his own blood" the woman replied, getting Penguin to raise his eyebrow curiously.

"We're listening" he allowed, watching her curiously as she headed over to the window Two-Face was "parked" in front of.

"I'm Stainless. Me and my brother Steel have a little plan for the people of Gotham. And when it's finally complete, we'll be in full control. Nothing will be able to stop us" she explained, glaring out at the city beyond the wall, hating every single person who dwelled there.

"And how do you know this plan will work?" Two-Face asked, tapping his fingers against the armrests of his wheelchair inquisitively. Rolling her eyes, Stainless turned back to face them, crossing her arms and leaning against the glass casually.

"Think, Hot Wheels. You two Park Row and Penguin runs the Bowery. If we team up, you'll be in charge of half the prison" she explained, getting Two-Face and Penguin to exchange surprised looks. They knew she was right.

"What about Quinn? Where does she stand in all of this?" Two-Face asked, curious about the former doctor's involvement in this venture.

"I figured you two could convince her. It'd save me a trip to the Industrial District" Stainless continued, flicking a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"I have a CV

"You said you had a brother. Why isn't he here trying to sell this plan to us?" Penguin asked, taking yet another puff of his cigar nonchalantly.

"He had a previous engagement. Right now, he's getting a few more items to make sure our plan goes smoothly. All I need is for you two to agree and Gotham will be ours for the taking" Stainless replied, watching as Two-Face and Penguin considered this offer. It'd be what they'd always wanted: a chance to get back at the city that shunned them and locked them away. Not only that, but the chance to finally rid themselves of Batman.

"Screw it. I'm in" Penguin agreed, getting a small grin from Stainless as she looked over at Two-Face.

"What about you?" she asked, watching as he spun that coin around in his hand. Like most decisions, he always had to leave it to the coin.

"Let me check" he replied, flipping it up in the air and catching it on the back of his hand. Removing his other hand, he checked which side it had landed on. Heads.

"Count us in" Two-Face replied, making Stainless feel content. The pieces of her plan were falling into place.

"But there's one small problem I'll need you take care of" Two-Face continued, causing a look of curiosity to spread across Stainless' face.

"What kind of problem?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"There's this guy called Red Hood operating around Park Row. He's the bastard who put me in this wheelchair. Deal with him and you'll have my full attention" Two-Face discussed, getting a grin to reappear on Stainless' face.

"If its killing you require, I'm your girl. I'll deal with him soon" she replied as she headed back over to the door.

"So what do we do for the time being?" Penguin asked, wondering when they'd actually have to do some work.

"Just sit tight and be ready. You'll know when we've taken control" she replied, closing the door behind her with a slam, once again leaving Two-Face and Penguin alone in the operating room.

**- The Steel Mill -**

The sound of static suddenly filled the room as Harley carefully rocked the crib back and forth, ceasing the motion with a jolt. Quickly looking around, she noticed a dusty CB Radio on the other side of the room, sitting on the desk. Joker had placed it there when they had first arrived in Arkham City, his only means of communicating with people outside the safe confines of the Steel Mill. Every now and then, Harley would have walked in and seen him sitting by the desk, angrily shouting down the microphone at an unknown receiver. Harley had never asked who he had been talking to. She didn't want to risk another beating. Making sure her baby was asleep, she wondered over to the radio and started fiddling with the dials until a distorted voice started to fill the airwaves.

"_...Qui...can yo...me?...uinn...are you there? Pick up, Quinn!_" an angry voice ordered, slowly becoming clearer. Harley recognized this voice from back at the Asylum. The voice of Harvey Dent. Picking up the microphone, she pressed the button on the side and spoke into the mouthpiece.

"Two-Face? Is that you?" she asked, wondering how the hell he was talking to her. After a couple of seconds, the static returned and his response filled the room.

"_Of course it is. I was hoping you'd answer_" he replied casually, still confusing Harley.

"Where are you? How the hell are you talking to me?" she asked, taking quick glances around the room to make sure she wasn't being watched.

"_Joker used to use this radio to talk to me. Mostly to make jokes and talk about how he was going to wring my neck like a sponge_" Two-face replied gruffly, his tone spreading fear throughout Harley's body.

"Sorry to hear that. Why are trying to talk with me?" she asked, releasing the button on the microphone and crossing her arms peevishly.

"_Me and Penguin were approached by this chick called Stainless. She says she's going to take control of Arkham City and Gotham. We're teaming up and giving her a hand. All we need is for you to join up and we'll be in control of the whole prison_" Two-Face explained, causing Harley to pause. She'd made a deal with Phobia and Raven in return for them keeping their secret. If she joined up with Stainless and Steel, she'd be breaking her promise. Not only that, but they'd probably tell Batman about her baby . And she couldn't risk having her child taken away from her. Taking a deep breath, she held down the button on the microphone and spoke into the mouthpiece. "I'm sorry, Two-Face. But I can't" she replied slowly, dreading the response she'd receive.

"What?! You'll regret this, Quinn. Someday soon, you'll pay" Two-Face responded angrily, going silent as soon as he'd spoken his last word. Placing the microphone back on the holster, Harley slowly backed away from the desk, her mind racing with thoughts about what could happen. For all she knew, Penguin and Two-Face could've been sending men to come and get her right now. But this wasn't the only thing worrying her. She heard a loud thumping in her ears, going at the same pace as her heartbeat. Looking down, she saw that her hand movements were becoming blurred, her vision becoming cloudy around the edges. Harley gasped.

"_Oh God. Not now_" she thought as she became lightheaded, losing balance as she stumbled to the left.

"My pills. I've got to get to my pills" she said out loud as she turned around, gasping at the figure standing behind her. She backed away at the sight of the purple-clad man, his messy green hair, his pale, white skin and his blood red lips warped into a fiendish grin.

"What's wrong, Harley? You look like you've seen a ghost" Joker mocked, his head tilting back as he let out a blood-chilling cackle.

**A/N: More coming soon.**

**Laters**

**-7**


	8. Steel vs Deadshot

**A/N: I'm back! Please comment.**

Harley could feel her heart beating in her ears as she slowly backed away from the man in front of her. All he did was stand there. Watching her. Studying her. Awaiting her answer.

"Mistah J, now's not a good time. I need to take my meds" she replied, trying to move past him. But he just stood in front of her, blocking her path.

"Why? Don't you want me here anymore? Did I do something wrong?" he asked, putting on his sad eyes as he tried to gain some sympathy.

"Just move" Harley ordered as she shoved him backwards in irritation, only for him to punch her straight in the face, sending her to the floor. Reaching up, she felt a warm liquid trickling from her nostril, staining her fingers a deep crimson. Looking back up him, fear brimming in her eyes alongside a few tears, Joker glared at her, his grin now warped into a horrifying frown.

"NEVER hit me, Quinn. Didn't I get that through to you the last time? DIDN'T I?!" he yelled before giving her a kick in the gut, causing her to writhe in pain on the dusty, wooden floor.

"Yes! Yes, you did! Please stop!" she begged, obeying his demands dismally. Letting out a cackle of amusement, Joker gave her a second kick, driving the air out of her lungs.

"C'mon, get up! Harley, if you keep surrendering, how will you ever make it in this world?! NOW, GET UP!" he ordered, giving her a final kick and knocking a cry straight out of her mouth.

"I...I can't..." she rasped, getting Joker to frown again. Instantly, Joker leapt on top of her, grabbing her throat and tightening his grip.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you" he mocked darkly, watching as she tried to pry his hands off her neck, her oxygen supply becoming limited. Her vision started to blur, Joker's voice becoming a mere echo.

"C'mon, fight back, Quinn. Stop being such a wuss. C'mon, Quinn. Quinn? C'mon, Quinn. Snap out of it" Joker ordered, his voice mysteriously disfiguring into a more masculine tone. Suddenly, Joker's face began to fade away, leaving a crimson motorcycle helmet in its place.

"Harley? What's wrong with you?" Red Hood asked as Harley tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he was far too strong for her. Realizing that Joker was gone, Harley ceased her struggle, realizing that she was finally safe. Sitting up, she held her hand in her hands, taking in deep breaths as Red Hood knelt beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, watching as she rocked back and forth with each exhale. Looking into his visors, Harley shivered worriedly, wondering what this man was doing here. But she didn't have time for that, she knew what she needed.

"My...my pills" she stammered, pointing over to the dusty desk with a trembling hand. Standing up, Red Hood ran over to the desk and pulled open one of the drawers to find a pack of Risperdal tablets. Running back over to Harley, he opened the pack, popped out one of the pills and handed it to her, watching tensely as she placed it in her mouth. As she swallowed the milky green tablet, her breathing slowed down, allowing her pulse rate to return to a normal level.

"Better?" Red Hood asked, causing her to look up at him curiously, still pondering why he was here.

"Yeah, thanks" she acknowledged, stumbling as she pushed herself up. Luckily, Red Hood caught her, causing an awkward moment between the two of them as he helped her the rest of the way.

"I've heard of you. You're that Red Hood guy" Harley recalled, brushing herself down as Red Hood looked blankly at her, his eyes hidden behind his face-shield.

"That's me. Onto a more serious question, what were you doing? And why are you popping pills?" Red Hood asked, tossing her the pack of medication, to which she caught with both hands. Looking down at the pack with sad eyes, Harley turned her back on Red Hood, looking out of the poorly boarded-up window depressingly.

"After what happened to Mistah J, I started having...nightmares. At first I thought they'd go away after a few days, but then they became more intense. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think straight. And before I knew it, I started havin' hallucinations about 'im" she explained, fondling the pack in her hands. As Red Hood listened to this story, he looked around the room, from the dusty desk to the dartboard with Batman's picture pinned to it.

"So, you became schizophrenic?" he asked, looking back at her enquiringly as she turned to face him. Slowly, she nodded, allowing a tear to roll down her cheek and hit the floor with a soft drip. Trying to be comforting, he extended his hand and rubbed her shoulder consolingly, getting a small smile to appear on her lips.

"Thanks. Why are you here anyway?" she asked, allowing him to take his hand away.

"I needed to talk to you. Have you seen two kids around here? One wears a gas-mask, the other has metal wings" Red Hood described, surprising Harley.

"Yeah, they came by earlier. Why?" she asked in response, crossing her arms questionably. As for Red Hood, he was a little concerned to why they'd been there in the first place.

"I just needed to talk to you about them. On a more serious note, why were they here?" he asked curiously, causing Harley's eyes to widen in worry. She'd just blown her cover. She knew she had to tell him the truth.

"They followed me back here. But I said I'd keep an eye out for these two guys they're looking for as long as they kept my secret" she explained, confusing Red Hood incalculably.

"What secret?" he asked, watching curiously as Harley headed over to the crib in the corner. Picking up the baby up in her arms, she turned around to face Red Hood, revealing the infant to him. A silence filled the room as Red Hood observed the baby in her arms, his surprised expression hidden under his helmet, but making Harley nervous due to her inability to see it.

"When did you go into labor?" he asked, directing his gaze back at Harley with an apprehensive expression.

"A couple of weeks ago. I haven't told anybody except my men and those two kids" she explained, looking down at the baby lovingly.

"Did Joker know?" Red Hood asked, following Harley's gaze as his eyes rested upon the infant.

"I was going to tell him after he killed Batman. But...he didn't make it" she stammered, letting a couple of tears fall onto the baby's face. Noticing this, she wiped her eyes on her arm and then wiped the fallen tears off of her offspring's cheek. Red Hood understood why she had to keep the baby a secret. Raising a baby overall was hard work. But in a super-prison, it was much worse.

"Who did Raven and Phobia say they were looking for?" he asked, recalling what Harley had said earlier.

"These two whackos called Stainless and Steel" she recalled, causing Red Hood to freeze as he remembered his encounter with Amber.

"I know the girl. Her name's Amber" he stated, surprising Harley as she placed the baby back in the crib carefully.

"Why were you talking to her?" she asked, turning back to face him with concern.

"She said she needed me for a plan she was devising with her brother. She tried to kill me when I said no" Red Hood explained, Harley nodded perceptively as he did so.

"Any idea what the plan was?" she asked, getting a shake of the head from Red Hood as a response.

"But I'm going to find out. Sorry I bothered you" he apologized as he headed back over to the office's exit. However, as he started to climb down the rope ladder, he paused, looking back over to Harley as she leaned over the crib, observing her sleeping offspring affectionately.

"Hey, if you need help with anything, I'll stop by every now and again. Just to be safe" he offered, getting a smile to appear on Harley's painted face.

"Thanks. I'd like that" she accepted, still watching as he continued to climb down the rope ladder out of sight.

**- The old G.C.P.D. Building-**

The sounds of water dripping from the ceiling and R.E.M's 'It's the End of the World as We Know It' playing over the radio filled Deadshot's ears as leaned over the metal table, welding up the small crack on his left wrist gauntlet. After being thwarted by Batman months ago, he'd decided to find a more fortified sanctuary. And the former headquarters of the G.C.P.D. seemed to be working fine for him. The latest delivery of weapon components from Hush had been very beneficial in defending himself from the occasional attacker. His "customized" prisoner uniform still had the blood stains from when Penguin had sent in some if his men to try and take it over. The bodies had been left were they had dropped, almost like trophies to the skilled marksman. Nothing could get past him. Not even the sound of the front entrance opening and closing loudly. Turning the volume down on the radio, he pulled his mask down over his face and placed his gauntlets back on his wrists. The red scope on his right eye assisted his aim as he turned to each of the room's entrances, checking for the slightest sign of movement.

"I heard you. You might as well come out" Deadshot ordered, glaring as he awaited his target's entrance. As a small crash sounded from behind him, he quickly spun around to see his radio lying on the ground beside the table, a metal knife driven into the plastic casing. A few feet away, standing in the upper entrance to the room, was a man with shortly cropped auburn hair and gold eyes, the same color as Stainless'. No doubt about it. This was her brother, Steel.

"Who the hell are you?" Deadshot ordered, aiming his gauntlet at the intruder. A small sniper laser was marked straight at Steel's forehead.

"Listen, I'd rather make this a nice and simple transaction. All I need is for you to give me some of your hacking tech and I'll leave. Nobody has to get hurt. What do you say?" Steel offered almost authentically, angering Deadshot. If this guy thought he could just waltz in and take his stuff, he had another think coming.

"No deal" Deadshot answered, pulling the trigger and launching a bullet at his target. Astoundingly, Steel grabbed a knife out of his jacket and effortlessly deflecting the bullet, a small ping echoing around the room as if made contact with the tiled walls. Taking aim once more, Deadshot watched as Steel ran for his life, diving over multiple tables as Deadshot fired over and over again. As each bullet flew straight past Steel, the rage built up inside Deadshot more and more.

"You're going to die, asshole! I never miss!" he yelled, grabbing another pack of ammo off the table and reloading his gauntlet. Slowly pacing around the room, Deadshot looked in every direction, hoping that sooner or later, Steel would blow his cover. Unknown to him, Steel had ducked into one of the small labs built into the walls, peeking out to check where Deadshot was standing.

"_Shit_" Steel thought as he saw that Deadshot was heading in his direction. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would find him. Thinking fast, he reached placed his larger knife back inside his coat and instead retrieved a segmented "snap-off blade" utility knife. Rolling up the blade, he snapped off two small, triangular blades and placed them in his palm. Placing the rest of the knife back in his coat, he placed a blade in each hand, both held between his thumbs and index fingers. Peeking out, he waited until Deadshot was looking in a different direction and quickly rolled out from his hiding place. Hearing him move, Deadshot instantly took aim, prepared to pull the trigger at any second. But before he could do so, Steel threw the small blades forward, each one lodging itself in the twin-barrels of Deadshot's wrist gauntlet. A scream filled the air after Deadshot had pulled the trigger, the blades blocking the bullets as they were launched forward. Instead, as a result of their paths being blocked, Deadshot's gauntlet exploded, leaving a combination of melted metal and exposed muscles around his mutilated hand. Dropping to his knees in agony, Deadshot looked up as Steel made his way over to him, a sly grin now covering his lips.

"No! Stay back!" Deadshot ordered, his tone a mixture of anger and pain. Ignoring his pleas, Steel kicked Deadshot in the chest, sending him onto his back. Placing his boot on the side of Deadshot's face, Steel looked down in joy as he whimpered in fear, still clutching his bleeding appendage.

"Tell me where your hacking stuff is or I'll finish you off here and now!" he ordered, causing Deadshot to wheeze as his air became limited.

"Under...under the table. I-In the drawer" he answered worriedly, pointing over to the desk he'd previously been working at. Smiling contently, Steel removed his boot from Deadshot's face and headed back over to desk, still smiling as he opened the drawer and observed its contents.

**- Later -**

The apartment Stainless and her brother were holed up in was small, the once dark blue wallpaper now faded and peeled. They had a large, wooden table in the center where her and Steel would usually plan their next tactics, it was covered with maps marking the different territories of each gang-boss. A few feet from where Stainless was sitting was a large computer device which looked partially constructed, still in need of a few more components. Stainless sat on an old club chair, warming her hands over the electric heater in the corner, taking in as much heat as possible before it could escape through the wall cavities. Hearing a knock, she froze, her head quickly turning in the direction of the door. Standing up, she headed over to it and looked through the rusty, copper peephole. Standing up, she headed over to it and looked through the rusty, copper peephole. Seeing Steel standing there, she turned the key in the lock and opened the door with a loud creak, allowing him to enter.

"Were you followed?" she asked, closing the door behind him and locking it once more. Once Steel had headed over to the table, she watched as he emptied the contents of his pockets onto it. He had multiple circuit boards and components.

"No, I made sure. On the bright side, I finally got the stuff I needed to finish the disrupter" he replied, concerning Stainless.

"What did you do with Deadshot?" she asked curiously, brushing a loose strand of her behind her ear.

"Don't worry, he'll live. I think. How did things go with Two-Face and Penguin?" he asked in response, looking up at her as he finished evacuating his pockets.

"Just fine. But Two-Face said we had to kill Red Hood if we wanted him on board" Stainless replied, joining him at the table as he examined the circuit boards, making sure they were still useable.

"Sounds simple. I've been waiting to get back at that asshole since he refused our offer" Steel grinned as he saw that the circuit boards were still functional.

"Wow, we're really going to pull this off aren't we?" Stainless imagined, catching Steel's attention as he noticed her tone of voice.

"Yeah, we're finally getting revenge on that city for turning its back on us" he answered confidently, understanding how unbelievable it sounded. His expression suddenly changed to one of caring as he noticed a tear roll down Stainless' cheek.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, causing her to reach up and quickly wipe the tear away.

"Nothing. I was just thinking...would Mom and Dad be proud?" she asked, allowing more tears to roll down her cheeks. Comfortingly, Steel pulled her into a hug, allowing her to let the walls down.

"Of course they would. It's okay" he consoled, rubbing her back soothingly. They may have been older. But Steel knew he would always be her big brother.

"I...I really...miss them, Jack" she revealed between sniffs, breaking Steel's heart as he refused to let her go.

"So do I, Amber. So do I" he repeated, looking out of the window, past the prison wall and straight at Gotham. He narrowed his eyes angrily, knowing that soon enough, they'd pay for what they did. He and Stainless would be getting what they'd been working for since first getting arrested. They'd have vengeance. They'd get back at them. They'd have revenge.

"We'll do this, Amber. I swear on their graves, we'll pull this off" he finished, an unnoticeable tear of his own exiting his eye socket and rolling down the side of his nose.

**A/N: Sorry for shortness. More coming soon! Until then, read and review. **


	9. The Hatter, the Surgeon and the Deadeye

**A/N: I'm back! Please comment.**

**- The next morning, an alley behind the ACE Chemicals building, Park Row -**

Tony tapped his foot impatiently as he leaned against the alley wall, looking up and down the passage for a sign of his friend. The morning sun shone down on his shaved head, one of the good things about Arkham City in the morning. Pretty much the ONLY good thing about Arkham City in the morning. That and the food drop offs. Drake, a fellow prisoner, not to mention his only friend in the joint, had agreed to make a run to the drop off point to grab them some breakfast. And so far, he had not returned for almost half an hour. Tony scratched the back of his neck nervously. The morning drop off was extremely dangerous for all prisoners, especially those who had not eaten in days. They would do anything to get their hands on it. Punch, kick, claw, scratch and, on rare occasions, kill. At the moment, all of these possibilities were flowing through Tony's mind, every single possible outcome of what could have been happening to Drake that very moment. Fortunately, these possibilities were wiped from his mind as the sound of footsteps filled Tony's ears. Looking to the left, he saw a black-haired prisoner heading towards him, a rectangular, metal tin held in each hand, the lids engraved with the Arkham logo. As he reached Tony, he skidded to a halt, leaning against the wall for support as he took in deep breaths.

"Drake, are you...fuck..." Tony trailed off, horrified by the state of Drake's face, his lips swollen and red, a scratch on his left cheek and a black eye, the outer rim turning a dark shade of purple.

"I'm okay. Just a little scuffed. Those bastards were really fighting today" he reassured, handing him one of the metal tins. Both of them sat down on the ground, leaning back against the wall. Opening the lid, Tony smiled as the scent of warm, processed, scrambled eggs wafted up his nostrils.

"Man, you wouldn't believe how long it's been since I've had a hot meal" he said, grabbing the small spoon attached to the inside of the lid and scooping a small portion of the scrambled eggs into his mouth.

"Try telling that to every other prisoner in this hellhole" Drake suggested jokingly, mirroring his friend's actions with a sigh, enjoying the feeling of warm food rolling down his throat and settling in his stomach.

"Amen to that" a muffled voice agreed, scaring both of them as they turned in its direction. Standing a few feet away from them, leaning against the wall, was Red Hood, his arms crossed as he studied the two inmates. On impulse, both Tony and Drake jumped up onto their feet, backing away until they made contact with the metal wire fence.

"Oh Jesus, j-just stay away from us, man. We haven't done anything wrong" Drake begged, raising a hand in self-defense, the other still clutching onto his food.

"Calm down, guys. I'm not here to kill you. Just came down here for company, that's all" Red Hood reassured, holding up his hand to reveal his own food tin. Tony and Drake exchanged worried glances, for all they knew, this could have been a trap.

"Okay, sure" Drake accepted timidly, keeping an eye on him as he sat down and leaned back against the opposite wall. Opening the tin, Red Hood placed it beside him, reached up and removed his helmet, allowing his chocolate brown to drop down over his forehead. Placing the helmet to his opposite side, he picked up the tin of eggs, took out the small spoon concealed in the lid and scooped some eggs into his mouth. As Tony and Drake ate, they couldn't help but gaze at Jason Todd's revealed face, supposedly the last face some inmates would see before he would finish them off. Slowly, Drake's gaze shifted to Jason's belt, twin pistols attached to holsters on each side. Jason couldn't help but notice this.

"Problem?" he asked, putting on his "tough guy" persona. Drake quickly shook his head.  
"I was just thinking, you wouldn't happen to have a spare gun, would you? We need all the protection we can get" Drake questioned. Tony looked up from his food to observe his answer.

"Sorry, guys. I couldn't even if I wanted to. I'm down to my last two 9 millimeters' thanks to Two-Face" Jason replied, looking down at his pistols depressingly before scooping another spoonful of eggs into his mouth.

"What did Two-Face do?" Tony asked, surprised that he was actually engaging in conversation with the outlaw.

"He sent some of his guys to trash my place and they took my stash. You're not working with him, are you?" Jason asked in response, narrowing his eyes at the two of them as his hand drifted towards one of his holsters. Drake quickly raised both hands defensively.

"No, God no, I swear. And besides, if you needed more guns, why don't you just go compete in the cage fight?" he questioned, causing Jason to raise an eyebrow questioningly.

"What cage fight?" he asked, his hand moving away from his holster.

"The one just round the corner. In the basement of the old liquor store. They're open every night" Tony explained, concerning Jason as he shoveled more eggs down his gullet.

"How come I've never heard of it?" he asked as he finished the mouthful.

"It's a complete secret. Gordon doesn't even know about it. You can go there and fight for all the artillery you need" Tony continued, sparking Jason's curiosity as he slowly chewed his breakfast.

"What kind of artillery?" he asked through yet another mouthful, the occasional saliva soaked chunk of egg flying out from between his teeth.

"I don't know. The wager changes every night. Pistols, shotguns, carbines, you name it. Basically, each contestant bets a gun against the other and fights for it. Whoever wins gets all the guns collected by the end of the night" Drake cut in, finishing the story for his friend.

"If you two need guns so badly, why don't you compete yourselves?" Jason asked, gesturing to each of them with his spoon.

"You should see the guys in the cage, I'd never risk my life trying to fight them. You on the other hand, they wouldn't stand a chance" Tony commented, intriguing the outlaw as he considered this venture. As he attempted to scoop up another mouthful, he was surprised to hear the spoon make contact with a metal surface. Looking down, he saw that his food tin was empty, its previous contents now slowly being dissolved by his stomach acids.

"Thanks for the tip, guys. But I've got to roll. Stay safe and don't share needles" he bid jokingly, tossing his tin to the left, placing his helmet back on and standing up. However, before he could walk away, he reached into the back of his jeans and pulled out a hunting knife, tossing it to the ground in front of the two stunned inmates.

"In case you run into any trouble" he instructed, giving them a small salute goodbye before heading back down the alleyway, leaving Tony and Drake to finish their breakfast, still transfixed by the weapon lying on the ground in front of them.

**- Later that night, Arkham City -**

Raven could feel the wind blowing against her exposed arms, one of the downsides of wearing a sleeveless top. Blowing into her hands, she began rubbing them together with hopes of warming up slightly. The Amusement Mile was the smallest territory in Arkham City, so there wasn't much action. She just paced back and forth on the roof of the abandoned building, every so often glancing across the skyline, for any sign of Stainless or Steel. As usual, no such luck. Sighing, she ran her hands through her hair, removing all of the slowly forming knots to pass the time. Suddenly, she heard static over her earpiece, accompanied by a crackling voice.

"Char...can yo...me?" the voice asked, a voice she knew well.

"Eddie? What's wrong?" she asked in return, wondering if he'd finally found the two killers they had been searching for.

"Something's happe...I can't...you need to hurr..." Phobia begged fearfully, his voice sounding beyond terrified.

"Where are you?" Raven asked, fearing over what situation he could have been in at that moment.

"Park Row...come qui-" was all he could say before being promptly cut off, his feed going silent. Her heart racing, Raven quickly began leaping from rooftop to rooftop, trying to make her way to Phobia's location. Then, reaching the edge of the final roof, she leapt off and opened her wings allowing herself to slowly float down into an alleyway.  
"_What was he doing in Park Row anyway?_" she thought as she began running to the end of the alleyway, hoping she wasn't too late. Then, she paused, engrossed by the object on the ground in front of her. It was a playing card, lying face down. Bending down, she picked it up and turned it over, identifying it as the queen of hearts.

"What the h-ELL?!" she squealed as she felt a needle enter her neck, the unknown substance inside it weakening her, causing her to go unconscious.

**- Later -**

The musty odor of the room was more than enough to revive the young heroine, her vision blurry and distorted as she dizzily opened her eyes. Trying to move her arms, she was surprised to find them stuck in place. She looked to both of her arms, seeing them tied to the armrests of a wooden chair with rope. Finally realizing the situation she was in, Raven tried to free herself from the binds, grunting angrily as they failed to budge. Looking ahead of her, she was met with an unnerving sight. She was sat at the head of a long table, a checkered table cloth stretching from one end to the other. Teacups, a teapot and stale cakes placed in front of her. There were only two occupied spaces: hers and the one at the opposite end of the table. The new acquaintance wore a shabby, fern green overcoat with a white shirt and cerulean bowtie underneath. Beneath those he wore black trousers and lace-less boots. But this wasn't his most outstanding feature. Sitting atop his head, the brim covering his eyes, was a beaten top hat, the card in the side band reading: "In this style 10/6". Instantly, Raven recognized him as a well-known character she'd read about when she was little, not to mention one of the inmates Batman had briefed them on yesterday. The Mad Hatter. Beside his chair, she could see her wings, propped up against the wood.

"Ah, I see you're finally awake" he greeted, raising the hat to get a glimpse of his captive. Although she was terrified, Raven held it together. This was no time to look scared.

"What do you want? And what did you do with my friend?" she ordered, the authority in her voice unsuccessful in trying to scare the lunatic.

"Why, I've haven't laid a finger on him. What you heard was just a little hypnotic suggestion I planted in your teeny tiny head. All you needed to do was believe it and you were putty in my hands. But I doubt you would even understand. After all, Alice, you haven't even drunk your tea yet" he reminded, gesturing to the cup placed in front of her. Leaning in as far as she could, Raven nearly gagged at the supposed "tea", green and blue lumps of mold forming on the dark brown surface.

"I think I'll pass. And why are you calling me Alice?" Raven asked curiously, still trying to struggle out of the rope fastenings.

"Because, my dear, you are the living embodiment of my dear Alice. I've been searching for so long, but now," he paused to let out a childish cackle, unnerving Raven, "I've finally found you"

"Sorry, Hatter. But I think you've got the wrong girl. Now, why don't you untie and I'll be on my way" she proposed, putting on a kind smile to try and influence the perverse inmate. But she knew she had failed as soon as he began to giggle darkly, his eyebrows furrowing as a demented smile began to appear on his face.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Alice. Not after all I've gone through to find you" he denied, unexpectedly springing up from his seat and landing on the table with a thud. Slowly, he began walking towards her, each footstep resulting in a creak from the old table beneath him. Now fearing for her life, Raven tried to free her arms once more, struggling against the restraints as the Hatter reached behind his back, pulling out a white rabbit mask.

"Stay back. I'm warning you!" Raven ordered, her pulse increasing drastically as the Hatter stopped right in front of her. Kneeling down to eye level, the Hatter took a second to examine his prize, letting out a final chuckle as he pulled the mask down over her face, causing her to struggle as her vision began to fade once more.

"No...you...bastard..." she slurred wearily, slouching to the left as she passed out a second time.

**- ? -**

Raven screamed as she continued to fall, the dark pit never seeming to end, the light at the bottom getting closer and closer.

"NO!" she screamed as she approached the light, temporarily blinded as she made contact with something hard, letting out a gasp as the air was knocked out of her lungs. As the white faded away, Raven was able to get a better look at her surroundings. She was in the same chair, at the same table, with the same nutcase towering over her. However, the surrounding area had changed significantly. They were now in the middle of a forest, the sky cloudy and grey and the ground rough and hard, hardly any grass growing whatsoever.

"Welcome to Wonderland, my dear" he greeted, gesturing to her arms. Looking down, Raven realized she was wearing a completely different set of clothing. Instead of her conventional costume, she now wore a blue dress, similar to that of Alice's, as if it had been taken right out of the book. Not only that, but the rope binds had disappeared from her arms, allowing her to punch the Hatter straight in the face, knocking him onto his back. She quickly jumped up onto the table and grabbed him by the neck, pinning him down.

"Where the hell am I, you psycho? What did you do?" she ordered, briefly raising his head up before slamming it back down on the checkered tablecloth. Without any hesitation, the Hatter just stared at her face, laughing his head off dementedly.

"What's so funny now?" she ordered a second time, following his finger as he pointed to a dirty mirror nailed into a dead tree just beside the table. Seeing her reflection, Raven gasped, releasing her grip on the Hatter's throat as she ran over to it. She had to be hallucinating. It couldn't be true. Staring back at her was a rabbit's face. Her face. Her front teeth had grown into large buck teeth, her eyes were glowing bright yellow and her ears had relocated from the side of her head, now longer and poking vertically through her hair. Grabbing hold of her ears to see if they were real, she let out a scream, horrified at what had become of her. Narrowing her now glowing eyes, she turned back to the Hatter, clenching her fists angrily.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!" she ordered, watching as he let out another laugh of glee.

"Don't worry, Alice. Soon you will come to like it" he reassured, watching as she gritted her buck teeth with rage.

"LIKE IT?! I'M A FUCKING RABBIT! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU FREAK!" she threatened, running towards him and leaping in his direction. But before she could even make contact with him, he vanished in a puff of smoke, causing her to travel straight through him and land on the ground. Pushing herself up, she narrowed her eyes in anger. But it didn't last as the sounds of clanking metal filled her ears. She quickly looked in the direction the sound was coming from, the light of a fire torch slowly moving between the trees.

"She has to be around here somewhere. Keep an eye out" she heard a deep voice order, worrying her as she picked herself up.

"Who is that?" she wondered out loud, brushing the dirt from her dress. Suddenly, the Hatter reappeared beside her in the same smoke cloud as before, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"That's the Red Queen's royal guards. And they're looking for you, my dear" he explained, pointing towards the trees as the light from the torch got brighter.

"I heard her scream! She's this way!" a different voice instructed, causing Raven's blood to run cold, the metal clanking getting louder and louder. Suddenly, she spotted a knight appear from behind one of the trees, his crimson form a two-dimensional rectangular shape, like a playing card.

"There she is! Off with her head!" the guard ordered, swiftly running in her direction.

"You better run, Alice. You're running out of time" the Mad Hatter suggested sinisterly, glancing at his pocket watch before disappearing in yet another smoke puff. Knowing he was right, Raven quickly took off into the woods, doing her best to get away due to the constricting confines of the dress.

**- Reality -**

Rubbing his hands together with a chuckle, the Hatter stepped down from the table, disturbingly caressing Raven's orange locks as she slumbered.

"Don't worry, Alice. As soon as you wake up, you won't want to be anywhere else" he whispered creepily, a sickening grin plastered on his lips. Suddenly, he heard a knocking at the door, causing him to quickly turn in its direction. He headed over to the door and pressed his ear against the wood.

"Go away. We're having a tea party" he ordered strictly, taking a quick glance back at Raven's unconscious form.

"Really? Without inviting the Cheshire cat?" a female voice asked from the other side, confusing the Hatter as he turned the key in the lock. However, once the door was open, he was greeted by a fist to the face. Crying as pain shot through his nose, he glanced up at the woman standing in the doorway, her eyes narrowed beneath her dark red goggles.

"Go away, Cat. You're not wanted here. How did you even find me?" he ordered, pointing straight at her face.

"Your laugh can be heard for miles around. That and I saw you take her back here. Now, let her go" Catwoman ordered, standing her ground.

"Never! You don't know how long I've been waiting for this. To find my Alice. You can't take her away from me no-"

CRACK!

He fell back, knocking over his chair as he hit the ground. Catwoman rubbed her knuckles as she headed past him, stopping as she reached Raven, asleep in the chair.

"Kid, can you hear me? Raven?" she asked, reaching to remove her binds. But before she could untie her, she felt the chain from the Hatter's pocket watch wrap around her neck, choking her and pulling her away from the orange haired teenager. The Hatter cackled as Catwoman squirmed in his grip, choking as her air supply was abruptly cut off.

"You won't stop me this time, Cat. I'm finally going to get what I want. I'm finally going to get my Alice" he laughed victoriously, to preoccupied with his supposed victory to see her reach for the book on his table. With the remaining strength left in her, she brought the book back and hit him straight across the face, knocking him backwards, causing his watch to break as it hit the floor. Taking deep breaths, Catwoman read the book's title: Alice in Wonderland. She didn't know whether it was tragic irony or poetic justice. Remembering the situation, she headed back over to Raven and quickly untied the ropes around her wrists. As soon as she'd done, she quickly removed the rabbit mask from her face, throwing it to the ground out of hate.

"Raven? Come on, girl. Answer me" she pleaded, hoping that the Hatter hadn't succeeded in his messed up fantasy.

**- ? -**

Her hair blew behind her as she ran, her half-rabbit half-girl body seeming to give her advanced speed, allowing her to outrun the guards. Diving behind a tree, Raven took in deep breaths, her buck teeth causing each exhale to sound like a whistle. As she heard the guards pass by, she let out a sigh of relief, her breathing returning to its normal pace. All of a sudden, her rabbit ears twitched, the sound of rumbling hitting her senses. She gasped as the ground beneath her suddenly caved in, causing her to fall into a pit, screaming as it got darker and darker.

**- Reality -**

Her scream filled the room as she quickly awoke, causing Catwoman to jump backwards in fright. Raven began to hyperventilate, her chest rapidly moving in and out with each breath. Seeing that state she was in, Catwoman moved back in and placed her hands on her shoulders.

"Raven, look at me. You're okay now" she reassured, feeling calmer as Raven's respiring began to slow down.

"But...the forest...the knights..." she panted, shushed by Catwoman before she could say anything else.

"Were all fake. They can't hurt you now" she explained, allowing Raven's breathing to return to its normal pace. Suddenly remembering her reflection in the dream, Raven reached up and felt her face, letting out a sigh of relief to feel her ears back in their normal position. Looking past the infamous cat burglar, she narrowed her eyebrows angrily to see the Hatter slowly picking himself up off the ground, rubbing the purple bruise on his head in pain.

"What do we do with him?" she asked, nodding to the resuscitating maniac. Turning around, a sly smile appeared on Catwoman's lips.

"Just follow my lead" she instructed, casually strutting over to the Hatter, just as he looked up at her. Seeing that Raven was free, the Hatter let out a cry of defeat, glaring at Catwoman as she approached him.

"NO! I can't lose her now! Not now!" he begged, his pleas ignored as she grabbed her whip, wrapped it around his neck in the fashion he had done earlier and pinned him to the wall.

"Tough luck, Jervis. I should kill you right now after what you did to her" Catwoman considered, turning to face Raven as she weakly got up from her chair and joined her by the wall.

"No please, you can't. I know secrets. Secrets which would make the Red Queen very unhappy" the Hatter pleaded, resurfacing Catwoman's curiosity as she slightly loosened the whip around his neck, giving him a little more room to breathe.

"What secrets?" she questioned, getting a giggle to emit from his throat, the same giggle which now terrified Raven.

"I can't tell you. The Red Queen wouldn't like that. I'd get in a lot of trouble" he denied, getting a peeved expression to arise on Catwoman's face. Smiling, she reached up, removed the Hatter's top hat and threw it to the ground in front of Raven.

"NO! NOT MY HAT! PLEASE!" he begged, causing both Catwoman and Raven to smile contently.

"What was that? You want us to crush it?" Catwoman asked mockingly, getting Raven to laugh. But also causing the Hatter to scream out in agony.

"NO! I REALLY CAN'T TELL YOU!" he screamed, struggling to escape from Catwoman's grasp.

"I think he wants us to stamp it into the dirt, Raven. Would you do the honors?" she asked Raven, still grinning at their choice of torture.  
"Gladly" Raven answered, raising her boot above the dented accessory and slowly bringing it down.

"OKAY! I'LL TALK! I'LL TALK!" the Hatter surrendered, Raven's boot inches from his hat's surface.

"That's more like it. Now, what secrets do you know?" Catwoman ordered, shoving the Hatter's head against the wall one more time for good measure.

"I've heard of a trade going on between Deadshot and Hush. He supplies Deadshot with weapons, he stays off his list" he began, confusing both of his captors.

"How is this important?" Raven asked, crossing her arms unsympathetically and giving him a stony glare.

"I heard a rumor that Hush had a visitor a few days ago. A woman. Carrying a lot of knives. She wanted to know where Deadshot was hiding" the Hatter continued, this time, concerning Raven.

"Why did the woman want to see Deadshot?" Raven interrogated, raising her boot above his hat threateningly.

"I don't know! I swear! That's all I was told!" the Hatter vowed, getting Raven to remove her boot from above his hat. Reaching up to her earpiece, she pressed the button for Batman's feed.

"Batman, are you there?" she asked, turning away from the Hatter as she waited for a response.

"_Hearing you loud and clear, what happened? I tried to contact you but you didn't answer_" Batman's voice asked in response, almost sounding worried.

"I had a bit of a run in with the Mad Hatter" she answered, looking back at the inmates as he continued to squirm in Catwoman's grip.

"_Are you okay?_" Batman asked, now sounding like his usual self.

"Don't worry. Catwoman gave me a hand. On a more important note, Hatter gave me some dirt on Stainless and Steel" Raven revealed, resulting in a short silence from the other end of the frequency.

"_What did he tell you?_" Batman asked curiously, getting Raven to grin at his eagerness.

"Apparently, Stainless and Steel paid Deadshot a visit. No idea why" she recited, hoping that Batman may know some answers.

"_Does he know Deadshot's location?_" Batman asked, getting Raven to turn back to face the Hatter.

"Do you know where Deadshot is?" she asked, narrowing her eyes threateningly. His head still in Catwoman's whip, he struggled to shake his head.

"He doesn't know" Raven reluctantly answered into the earpiece, a faint groan answering her from the other end.

"_I'll send Phobia to ask him. You've done enough for today. Head back to your lookout post and try to stay out of trouble_" Batman instructed.

"Okay. Over and out" she finished, releasing her finger from the earpiece. Heading back over to the Hatter, she gave Catwoman a nod.

"Let him go" she told, allowing Catwoman to release her hold on the Hatter, allowing him to drop to the ground and rub at the red mark around his neck.

"Don't let me catch you with her again. Or else" Catwoman ordered, placing the whip back on her belt and heading for the door. Giving the Hatter a final glare, Raven picked his hat up and tossed it to him.

"Freak" she insulted, following Catwoman out of the room as she exited the abandoned apartment complex. Placing his hat back on his head, the Hatter pulled his knees to his chest and began to giggle, a grin spreading from ear to ear.

"I'll find you again, Alice. Soon you will be mine. Forever" he chuckled darkly, looking over to the empty doorway.

**- Park Row, Hush's Hideout -**

Phobia climbed down the fire escape, carefully landing on the ground with bent knees. Standing back up, he looked up at the run-down building just beside the courthouse. Reaching for his earpiece, he pressed the button for Batman's frequency.

"I've found the place. Anything I should look out for?" he asked, his voice muffled by his gas-mask.

"_Hush is unpredictable. Just stay alert and be ready in case he tries anything_" Batman instructed firmly, like he knew that Phobia could handle himself.  
"10-4" he finished, releasing the button and heading for the building's door. As he grasped the doorknob, he reached for his belt and retrieved his scythe, making sure it was prepared for any close encounters. Gently stepping inside, he closed the door with a soft thud, making sure not make any noise. As he turned the corner, he saw a figure leaning over an operating chair, dark crimson stains fixed into the fabric. However, as Phobia started making his way forward, the figure suddenly spoke up.

"What do you want?" he asked plainly, not even turning around. Confused, Phobia got out of his sneaking position and just returned to his normal stance.

"I don't want to fight. I just want to ask you something" Phobia insisted, causing Hush to turn around angrily, glaring at the mysterious intruder.

"Who the hell are you?" Hush asked, taking a gun out of his coat and aiming it straight at Phobia, causing his eyes to widen.

"A friend of Batman's" he answered, causing Hush's eyes to narrow.

"Then you're no friend of mine. Besides, I'm always looking for new donors" he retorted, a grin now appearing on his bandaged face. Reacting quickly, Phobia moved to the left, just dodging the bullet. Angered, Hush aimed the gun once more. But before he pulled the trigger, Phobia spun his scythe into a reverse-hold position, ran forward and hit him straight in the hand, causing him fire straight at a wall. Angered, Hush grabbed Phobia's scythe with his free hand, yanked it out of his grasp and threw it across the room, causing it to land beside the fireplace with a clatter. This time, Hush aimed the gun straight at Phobia's face. But Phobia grabbed the barrel and jammed it upwards, causing a bullet for go straight through the ceiling. With Hush's finger clamped down on the trigger, he continued to fire up at the ceiling, causing small chunks of plaster and dust to rain down on the two of them. As the bullets were replaced by clicks, Hush let out an angry cry. Throwing away the empty firearm, he drew back his fist and his Phobia square in the chest, causing him to grunt as pain shot through his ribs. Then, grabbing him by the back of the neck, Hush brought him forward and slammed his face down into a metal tray, causing him to cry out as a decent amount of pain penetrated his gas-mask. Hush then flipped him over and shoved him back onto the operating chair, grabbing him by the neck to pin him down. Reaching beside the table, he retrieved a scalpel from his tray of operating tools. Phobia grabbed Hush's hand as he moved it towards his neck, the small blade just inches away from his exposed skin. Gritting his teeth, Hush used all his might to try and pierce the neck of his new opponent. But unfortunately for him, Phobia wasn't going to give up easy. He rolled to the left, the blade leaving a small cut on his neck before he fell off the operating chair. As the scalpel impaled the fabric of the chair, Hush growled through gritted teeth, turning in Phobia's direction as he quickly stood back up. On the floor beside Hush was a rusty, surgical saw, stained with moldy, sticky blood, no doubt from his previous "patients". Picking it up, he ran at Phobia and took a swing, the blade barely missing his chest. Running forward, Hush raised the surgical tool above his head, ready to bring it down on the teenage vigilante. Moving to the left, Phobia caused the saw to lodge itself in the mantle above the fireplace. As Hush tried to remove the wedged tool, Phobia grabbed him by the back of his bandaged head and slammed his face into the saw's handle. Hush staggered backwards, the bandages around his nose now being stained crimson. Quickly, Phobia reached down, picked up his scythe and ran at Hush, letting out a battle cry as he shoved him back onto the operating chair, causing him to knock over the large, operating lamp. Holding the blade to Hush's neck, Phobia glared at the psychopathic surgeon, their earlier positions now mirrored.

"Like I said, I didn't want to fight. Now tell me where Deadshot's hiding" he ordered, angering Hush as he returned the glare.

"Fuck you" Hush replied, grinning as his young assailant overpowered him. Gritting his teeth, Phobia removed the blade from Hush's neck and, instead, drove the blade into Hush's shoulder, causing a fair amount of blood to spurt out through the hole in the fabric. Hush cried out as he felt the blade tear through his veins, the unstoppable pain shooting through his nerves like electricity. Removing the blade from his shoulder, Phobia placed it back against his neck, anger still brimming behind his visors.

"I SAID TELL ME!" he yelled, causing Hush to whimper at his rage.

"Okay, okay. He's in the old G.C.P.D. building, please. Just stop" he begged, tears surfacing in his eyes as he gazed up at his oppressor. Realizing the position he was in, Phobia's breathing began to slow, his eyes widening in fear as he realized what he had just done. He quickly released Hush, placing his scythe back in its holster promptly. Gasping, Hush grabbed his severely bleeding wound, painstakingly reaching to the metal tray to the left and grabbing a roll of bandages. He began to remove his coat, Phobia took his chance and ran away, leaving him to tend to his injury. As soon as he was outside, he ran down the alley towards a metal fence. Taking a running leap, he grabbed the top of the fence and pulled himself over, dropping down to the other side and attracting the attention of few stray inmates. Having no time to deal with them, Phobia just continued running, ignoring their cries of protest as they became more and more distant. As he entered the Amusement Mile, he dove into another alley, leaning against the wall to catch his breath as he ceased his run. He looked out from the alley, checking left and right to see if he had been followed. Sighing, he dropped back against the wall, slowly sliding down the brickwork until he made contact with the litter-engulfed ground. Reaching up, he pulled back his hood and removed his gas-mask, running a hand through his hair as the cold wind made contact with his exposed skin. Eddie held his forehead, taking in deep breaths as he relived what had happened a few minutes ago. Why would he have done that? Let alone for information? Sure, Matt had taught him and Charlotte a few interrogation techniques when they first joined forces. But Eddie had never severely wounded anybody before. Not only that, but he couldn't get Hush's fear-stricken voice out of his head. The way he was reduced to nothing more than a helpless victim at his hands. Eddie remembered that sort of situation from somewhere. Like he'd heard of it happening a long time ago.

Then it hit him.

It was horrible.

It couldn't be possible.

But he couldn't think about it now. There was still work to be done. Reaching up to his earpiece, he pressed the button for Batman's feed.

"Batman, I know where Deadshot is" he began, releasing the button and waiting for a response from the Dark Knight.

"_Did Hush give you any trouble?_" he asked, his voice crackly due to the low signal.

"Just a little hand-to-hand. Nothing I couldn't handle," Eddie reassured, his heart going cold as Hush's voice echoed in his mind, "he told me that Deadshot's holed up in the G.C.P.D. Building"

"_Daredevil and I will head there now. Stay in Park Row until the Bat-Wing arrives_" Batman instructed, his tone sounding serious.

"Got it" Eddie finished, releasing his finger from the button on his earpiece and slumping back to the wall. Reaching down, he picked up his mask and pulled it back over his face.

**- The old G.C.P.D. Building -**

Daredevil leapt across the gap between the building he'd been standing on and the walkway of the G.C.P.D. Building, a loud clank echoing off the walls as he made contact with the solid metal. The clang sent a sound wave across the surrounding area, allowing Daredevil to scan the area for signs of life. Sensing it was clear, he started making his way down the metal steps and headed towards the large, metal shutter, the words "G.C.P.D. VEHICLE ACCESS" printed on the front. Hearing a thud, he focused on the sound wave, letting his guard down as a familiar deep voice filled his ears.

"Are you ready?" Batman asked, his deep voice almost ordering him to answer.

"You bet" Daredevil replied, flexing his neck courageously. Grinning at his ally's eagerness, Batman headed over to the shutter and retrieved the Remote Electrical Charge gadget from his belt, aiming at the power box above the entrance. Pulling the trigger, a small electrical ball fired from the end and made contact with the power box, causing it to burst into life and sparks as the shutter lifted slightly. Quickly, Batman and Daredevil slid under the gap in the shutter, arriving on the other side just as it slammed back down, the power box becoming inactive once more. The two of them headed over to the previously frozen shut metal door, pulling it open and heading swiftly heading inside the building. Daredevil paused, causing Batman to stop as he awaited his prediction. Daredevil tapped his foot, using the sound wave as a radar again and sensing only one other person.

"He's here" he confirmed, getting a nod from Batman as he retrieved a Batarang from his Utility Belt. Daredevil copied his tactic and retrieved his pickaxe, the blades popping out of either side as he pressed the button. The two of them made their way to the main room, filled with numerous computers and metal tables. Looking round the corner, Batman caught a glance of Deadshot standing by his computer, glancing at the screen as he studied the schematics of his wrist gauntlets. Beside him, on the table, was a single wrist gauntlet, the twin-barrels torn open and charred black.

"Head around to the other entrance. Distract him and I'll deal with his gauntlet" Batman instructed, getting a nod from Daredevil as a response. He slowly headed down the other corridor, leaving Batman by himself. Looking round the corner again, he saw Daredevil suddenly emerge from the opposite entrance, surprising Deadshot and causing him to jump away from his computer in shock.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" he ordered, raising his only wrist gauntlet and aiming it at the crimson intruder. Quickly, Batman ran out from his hiding place and grabbed his Bat-Claw from his belt. He aimed it at the gauntlet and fired, causing it to wrap around Deadshot's wrist. Grabbing the wire, he gave it a strong tug, causing the customized weapon to fly off his wrist and hit the ground with a clatter. Now terrified, Deadshot looked back and forth between Daredevil and Batman, backing away the best he could as they both closed in on him.

"Stay back, Batman. I haven't done anything wrong" he pleaded, raising his good hand in defense. Now at a better angle, Batman could see Deadshot's injury. His arm was in a sling, his hand wrapped in bandages, now blood red.  
"What happened to your hand?" Batman questioned, causing Deadshot to look down at his injury.

"A guy came here yesterday night," he explained, "and stole most of my hacking equipment"

"What did he look like?" Daredevil questioned, swinging his pickaxe around in his hand threateningly.

"Uh...he was tall, had short, brownish hair, leather jacket, never got his name" Deadshot described, trying to recall the features of the intruder from the night before.

"Did he have a knife? Or some other kind of blade?" Batman answered secondly, give Deadshot the same look of interrogation.

"Yeah. He used one to block a bullet. I also found these after he left" Deadshot explained, slowly making his way over to his desk. Lifting up his destroyed gauntlet, he picked up two pieces of metal, both charred like the barrels of the gauntlet. He then headed over to Batman and handed them to him. Curiously, Batman picked up one of the scorched blade segments and studied it.

"No doubt about it. Steel was here" he assumed, dropping the segments to the ground and looking over to Daredevil seriously.

"Wait, you two know this guy?" Deadshot questioned, looking between the two of them with narrowed eyes.

"We've been looking for him and his sister for a few days. Did he say what he needed the technology for?" Daredevil questioned in response.

"No. He just left me with a bloody hand and a busted gun" Deadshot answered peevishly, raising his bandaged hand the best he could.

"_Interference generator components and hacking technology. What are they up to?_" Batman thought, considering all the possibilities. Returning to reality, he looked over to Daredevil, then to Deadshot.

"We've got all the information we need. We'll be going now" Batman explained, turning to walk away. Sensing his footsteps, Daredevil placed his pickaxe back in its holster, quickly catching up with the Caped Crusader.

"That's it? You're just going to leave? No beating?" Deadshot called after them, causing Batman to stop and turn back to face him.

"I see no reason why I should" Batman responded, allowing Deadshot to let out a sigh of relief.

"However, if I hear that you've been picking off prisoners again, I'll come find you" Batman finished darkly, turning around without another word. Hearing this, Deadshot just stood there, his heart still beating rapidly as he heard the front entrance slam shut.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Leave a review and I'll update soon.**


	10. Under the Red Hood

**A/N: I'm back! Please comment.**

**- Meanwhile, Park Row -**

Jason looked up at the faded and chipped 'LIQUOR' sign above the door questioningly, wondering if Tony had given him the wrong location. He looked left and right, making sure it wasn't an ambush waiting to happen. He reluctantly raised a hand and knocked on the door, disquieting him as each knock echoed around the area. Suddenly, a small panel in the door slid open, revealing a pair of narrowed eyes looking out at him.

"What do you want?" he asked threateningly, satisfying Jason. He'd left his helmet back at his hideout. Without it, nobody would know who he really was. And to top that off, nobody would know how superior he was at fighting.

"Is this where the cage fight is?" he retorted, taking one last look up and down the alley, making sure he had not been followed.

"Who wants to know?" the inmate on the other side of the door asked, still glaring at the stranger. Jason sighed. He had a feeling this might happen. Reaching for one of his holsters, he pulled out a pistol and dangled it in front of the inmate's face, causing him to quickly close the shutter. The sounds of locks being unbolted came from the other side of the door as Jason placed his gun back in his holster. The door creaked as it was finally pulled open, revealing a bulky inmate standing on the other side. The perfect build for a would-be security guard.

"Head through the back room and down the stairs to the basement" he instructed, still giving Jason a somber glare. Ignoring it, Jason headed past the guard and over to the opposite door. Entering the back room, he stepped across the dusty floor and began to tread down the old, wooden steps. Once he reached the bottom, he found himself face to face with a metal door, the metallic texture now rusted and brown. Shrugging it off, he grabbed the handle and gave it a push, the sound of heavy metal music suddenly blaring in his ears. The room was filled with several inmates, ranging from the big and bulky to the small and bug-eyed. On the left hand side of the room was a bar, with a sight which even surprised Jason. Female bartenders. All wearing slutty getups of Arkham prisoner uniforms. No doubt to entertain the patrons. Further surveying the room, he found the main attraction: the Cage. It was almost the size of a hummer, built into the center of the room. Iron bars acted as a means to trap the inmates inside, three neon lights placed along the ceiling inside to light up the hard, concrete floor. Inside, a fight was already underway, partially hidden by each inmate as the clamored around the sides of the cage. Surprised at how impressive the place was, he headed over to the bar, catching the eye of a black haired bartender. Grinning, she approached the brown haired newcomer, slightly concerned why he wasn't wearing the same uniforms as the other inmates. Luckily, it wasn't the outfit she was interested in.

"What can I get you, newbie?" she asked, giving him a suggestive look, bringing a smile to his face.

"Just a beer" he requested, getting a decent glimpse of her rack as she reached down beneath the bar. Standing back up, she placed the bottle on the wooden surface and removed the metal cap, a small hiss escaping as the trapped air was released.

"How did you know I was new?" Jason asked before taking a quick swig from the alcoholic beverage.

"You had that look about you. The face that says: _I have no idea why I'm here_" the bartender answered, retrieving a rag from beneath the counter and wiping down the bar's surface. Placing the beer back down, Jason wiped his mouth on his sleeve, enjoying the feeling of the cold liquid running down the back of throat.

"I could say the same about you. I didn't think there were any women in this prison" he told, watching as the bartender rolled her eyes.

"Of course there are. But most of us tend to hide away cause of all the creeps in here. Do you have any idea what they'd do to girls like me?" she asked, gesturing over to the man sitting a few stools away. As he finished downing his final beer, he grinned witlessly and casually fell back off his stool, amusing a few other inmates sitting near him.

"I see your point" Jason replied, taking another swing of his beer.

"What are they betting tonight? Weapon-wise?" he asked, getting a smile from the bartender as she nodded over to a small table beside the cage. Placed on top of it was a dark blue duffel bag, the barrels of various weapons poking through the opening in the top.

"Whatever's in that bag. To be fair, we've got quite a nice haul tonight. You going to try and win it?" she asked in response, enjoying the fact that she was engaging in conversation with this stranger. Most of the guys she talked to in that place were only interested in one thing.

"Try? I'm going to succeed" Jason corrected confidently, causing the bartender's eyebrows to rise in surprise.

"Well, if you think you can handle Clancy, good luck" she replied, causing Jason to look back at the cage fight. There was a large inmate, brutally beating a prisoner into the floor, his body ripped with muscles. However, they seemed a little too...fake. Like he was wearing a prosthetic body.

"What's up with that guy's abs?" Jason asked, still transfixed by the battle still taking place.

"Back at Arkham Asylum, when Joker took over, Clancy was one of Joker's first test subjects for the Titan Formula. As you can see, it worked perfectly. But Joker didn't think it was good enough. He told Clancy to take a hike and kept on trying to make the formula stronger" the bartender explained as she finished wiping down the bar, placing the rag back underneath the surface.

"He has the first batch of Titan in him?" Jason asked, his eyes wide with what looked like worry.

"That's not going to be a problem, is it?" the bartender asked, crossing her arms and putting on a smug look. Jason turned back around to face the cage. She had a point. He needed those guns. And he was already there, he couldn't back out now. Downing the last of his beer, he stood up straightened his jacket.

"Don't count on it" he answered, turning around and heading over to the cage. As he approached the crowd of inmates, he was just in time to see Clancy deliver the final blow, knocking his opponent out cold. Instantly, a combination of cheers and heckles erupted from the crowd as Clancy stood victorious, his brawny arms raised in a showboating fashion. A door at the back of the cage opened and two inmates headed inside, grabbed the arms of Clancy's unconscious opponent and dragged him out. Jason grimaced at the sight of the comatose inmate, his face bloody and already turning purple as bruises started developing. A skinny inmate entered the cage next, his dirty blonde hair fashioned into dreads. Heading over to Clancy, he started announcing to the audience.

"And another soul falls at the feet of Clancy. Will anybody step into the ring for the final match of the night? Does anyone here think they stand a chance at defeating our reigning champion?" he proclaimed, getting shouts of refusal from most of the inmates. That is, until one spoke above the crowd.

"I'm in" Jason accepted, raising his hand in the air. All eyes fell on the strange newcomer, some cheering with enthusiasm, others laughing and some even placing bets with others. Jason made his way through the crowd, earning pats on the back from an unknown total of spectators as he approached the inmate with the dreads.

"What are you betting?" he asked, his arms crossed expectantly. Obliging, Jason reached for his holsters and retrieved his last pair of pistols, holding them out to the inmate.

"Is this it? You've got to have more than this," he bartered, unloading on of the ammo clips, "this one hardly has any bullets left" he observed, irritating Jason.  
"Look, if I lose, I'll bring you a flamethrower" he offered, grinning as the inmate's eyes widened with amazement.

"An actual flamethrower? You're kidding" he assumed, causing Jason's to grin to stay plastered on his face.

"Let me compete and it's yours if I lose" Jason continued, watching intently as the inmate considered this wager. Finally, the inmate held out his hand.

"Deal. Get in the cage. May God be with you" he instructed, placing the pistols in the duffel bag as Jason headed past him. Removing his jacket, Jason placed it beside the duffel, revealing his grey t-shirt underneath.

**(Music playing: Disturbed – Asylum)**

Entering the cage, his heartbeat increased as he heard the door close behind him, trapping him with the altered monster. Now in the cage, Jason could make out the inmate's face more clearly. He was Caucasian with a bald head, with glowing green eyes, no doubt a side effect of the formula in his veins.

"Fresh meat" he growled, pounding his fists together threateningly. Taking a fighting stance, Jason began to circle his opponent, his hands clenched into fists. Then, as the two fighters ran at each other, Jason brought back a fist and hit Clancy straight in the face. He veered back slightly, stunned by the blow. Jason grinned, excited about the fact that he was winning. Only to gasp out in pain as Clancy's fist collided with his chest, knocking the air right out of his lungs. Sounds of revolt came from the crowd as Jason fell back down to the floor. Clutching his gut, Jason rapidly took in deep breaths, trying to refill his lungs before the next blow came. Smirking forebodingly, Clancy began taking long strides towards his opponent as he picked himself up off the floor. As Clancy towered over him, Jason did his best to put on a smile.

"Um...I take it you don't want to be friends?" he joked out of fear, his esophagus being cut off as Clancy's monstrous hand clasped his neck. Clancy effortlessly lifted Jason up off the ground and threw him at the cage bars, a loud metallic clang filling everyone's ears as he made contact with them. Dropping back down to the floor, Jason pushed himself up onto his hands and knees.

"I thought not" he gasped, his eyes widening as Clancy charged at him, screaming at the top of his lungs. Using his wits, Jason rolled to the left, barely missing Clancy as he charged into the bars, contorting them out of shape. The crowd cheered for the newcomer as he stood back up, brushing himself down. Clancy let out a deep growl as he stepped away from the bars, his already green eyes seeming to glow brighter as he was overwhelmed by his rage. Grabbing one of the cage's bars with both hands, he pulled on it with all his might. Until finally, it broke off, leaving Clancy with a makeshift weapon.

"_Crap_" Jason thought as Clancy ran at him again, the steel bar held tightly in his grasp. As he took a swing, Jason jumped backwards, once again making contact with the metal bars of the cage as Clancy missed his face. Clancy instantly took another swing, only for Jason to duck and cause it to make contact with the other bars. Taking his chance, Jason dove between the monster's legs, landing on the ground behind him. Now fully enraged, Clancy spun around and brought the bar above his head, ready to impale his latest victim. Jason wasn't going to give up that easily. He quickly shuffled backwards, the ground he laid on shaking as the bar broke through the solid concrete just between his legs. Clancy raised the bar once more, stepping forward to make sure he would not miss again. But Jason moved backwards again, leaving another hole in the floor where he had previously been laying. He continued to back up, knowing that his plan was working perfectly. Backing up to just the right distance, he put on a smile. Seeing this, Clancy took in wheezy breath, his teeth bared like an animal. Slowly, he brought the bar out in front of him, ready to raise it once more.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Jason warned, mentally praying that this would work. Letting out a final cry on anger, Clancy quickly brought the bar up above his head, too maddened to notice the neon lights above him.

**(Music ends)**

As the tip of the bar pierced the glass, a bright flash briefly blinded everybody in the surrounding area as over three hundred volts of electricity traveled through the bar. Using his hand to shield his eyes, Jason was able to catch a glimpse of Clancy as he shook in pain, gurgled cries coming from his throat as his body was continuously electrocuted. As the power in the light ceased, the bar Clancy had been holding dropped to the floor with a clank, brief hints of smoke rising from it as Clancy dropped to his knees. As his eyes rolled back inside his head, the colossal inmate fell flat on his face, his body twitching and smoldering. As he stood back up, Jason was greeted by cheers of praise from the audience, clapping and whistling at his victory. As the cage door opened, Jason headed out and approached the inmate with the dreads once more.

"Sorry, buddy. Looks like I'm keeping that flamethrower" he told, joyously grabbing the duffel bag by the handle and swinging it over his shoulder. As he headed away from the cage, every inmate there watched as he exited the large room, heading back up the stairs and out into the city.

"What do you think they're going to do with that hacking equipment?" Daredevil asked as him and Batman leapt over a gap between the rooftops.

"I'm not sure. There are a number of different possibilities. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough" Batman replied, pausing as he saw a silhouette on the opposite rooftop. Sensing him stop, Daredevil ceased his strides.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sensing his partner's sudden change in heart rate.

"Nothing. You go on ahead, I'll catch up" Batman instructed, recognizing that figure from a few months ago.

"I sense someone. They're close by. Are you sure you should go alone?" Daredevil insisted, earning a stern glare from the Dark Knight.

"Go. I'll be fine" Batman ordered, finally getting a nod of agreement from the red-clad vigilante. Turning away, Daredevil headed for the edge of the roof they stood on and dropped down over the edge, disappearing from view. Turning back to where he had previously been looking, Batman's eyes widened in surprise. The figure had disappeared.

"I've been trying to find you" a somber voice greeted from behind, causing Batman to quickly turn to face his old acquaintance, his crimson cowl hanging down above his face.

"Why are you here, Azrael?" Batman questioned inquisitively, still wary from their last encounter all those months ago.

"I have a message. You needed to hear it tonight, for it is in accordance with the prophecy" Azrael answered, concerning Batman.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned once more, crossing his arms steadfastly. He had trouble understanding Azrael's cryptic motives.

"I know the identity of Red Hood" the mysterious prophet answered, confusing Batman. Why would Azrael be concerned about that piece of information?

"What does it matter? Many criminals are using the 'Red Hood' alias these days" he countered, studying him intently with peered eyes.

"I'm referring to one in particular. One that has been evading you for a long time now" Azrael explained emotionlessly. Hearing this, Batman uncrossed his arms. Azrael had his full attention.

"He relocated to Arkham City after Joker died. Why do I need to know his identity?" he questioned, his tone sounding serious.

"Like I said, Batman. It is all in accordance with the prophecy. You must know before it is too late" Azrael explained darkly, nearly scaring the Dark Knight.

"Who is he?" Batman asked, trying to make his request sound like an order. Slowly, Azrael took a step forward, standing right in front of Batman. Leaning in, Azrael whispered Red Hood's alter ego.

Batman's eyes widened.

His blood ran cold.

His heart rate increased.

Backing away from Azrael, Batman stared at the ground, still taking in what he had just heard. After a few seconds, Batman narrowed his eyes at Azrael, clenching his hands into fists.  
"That's impossible. It can't be" he denied, his gaze fixed on the prophet. Then, without warning, a bright flash and a puff of smoke simultaneously blinded Batman, causing him to shield his eyes. When the smoke cleared and his vision returned, Batman groaned angrily.

Azrael had disappeared.

**- Later that night, Wayne Manor -**

Oracle's eyes scanned the screen as multiple camera feeds popped up, showing numerous areas of Arkham City, all revealing at least one inmate going about their business. Hearing footsteps, she turned to face Bruce, still wearing his body armor from the neck down, his cowl hanging partially down his back.

"Anything new?" he asked, looking up at the colossal screen expectantly.

"Unfortunately not. Whoever Stainless and Steel are, they're pretty nifty at avoiding the cameras" Oracle replied, following his gaze and turning back to face the screen. As Bruce joined her by the keyboard, she looked up at him, a look of concern suddenly appearing on her face. Bruce didn't look good. He seemed...distant. Not sad. Not angry. Just out of it.

"Are you okay?" she asked, catching his attention as he looked down at her.

"Of course. Where are the others?" Bruce asked in response, obviously trying to change the subject. Oracle was worried, but she went along with it for his sake.

"Matt and Eddie are upstairs and I told Charlotte she could use the training room" she answered, getting a mere nod from her friend as he continued to look up at the screen. Oracle noticed this.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked with concern, causing him to look down at her again.

"I'm fine, Barbara. If you want, you can head home now" Bruce answered, adding a suggestion at the end of his sentence. Oracle sighed. Bruce was never this sociopathic.  
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow" she replied, turning her wheelchair in a circle and heading for the exit. Bruce didn't even say goodbye. Making sure she had left the room, Bruce took control of the Bat-Computer and brought up an old newspaper clipping. The photograph showed the remains of the meat-packing plant, nothing more than just rubble and debris. The headline read:

**BUILDING EXPLOSION TAKES LIFE OF HERO**

Bruce sighed; he remembered getting that newspaper the day after. He remembered reading it over and over again. Praying that it was all just a horrible dream.

It was right there.

That was proof.

Jason couldn't be alive.

But Bruce knew, deep down, there was only one way to be sure.

The night air penetrated Bruce's coat as he drove the shovel into the ground once more, taking out another chunk of earth and adding it to the pile beside him. He was standing in the back garden of Wayne Manor, the grass now ripped out of the ground by the metal head of the tool he held. Driving the shovel into the ground once more, there was a small crack. The sound of wood splintering. Placing the shovel aside, Bruce brushed away the dirt with his bare hands, revealing the timber surface of a coffin. Taking in deep breaths, he slowly glanced up at the tombstone, struggling to read the engraved name in the moonlight.

Jason Todd.

Sighing, Bruce reached for hatch and gave it a tug, promptly pulling it open and revealing a horrific sight. Jason. Lying in his coffin. Pale and emotionless. Dead. Bruce almost gagged. It was too much. Suddenly, he realized something. There was no smell. Jason's rotting corpse surely would have left a foul aroma. Not only that, but his body looked surprisingly fresh considering he had died five years ago. Slowly extending a hand, Bruce brushed an exposed finger against his former ward's cheek. It felt like rubber. Pinching the skin on the cheek between his thumb and index finger, Bruce gave it a swift tug and it simply tore away. Grimacing in disbelief, Bruce brought the torn away chunk of skin to his nose and smelled it.

Latex.

High-end latex.

The body was a fake. Bruce froze. His eyebrows furrowed. His hands clenched into fists. And an anger he had not felt for a long time quickly resurfaced. Slamming the coffin shut once more, he climbed out of the hole in the ground and ran back into the house. If Jason had returned, there was only one person who could explain how.

**- Meanwhile, the Training Room -**

Charlotte brought back her fist once again and drove into the faceless head of the punching mannequin. She had been in there since they had returned from the prison, trying to train for an unexpected attack. Not only that, but she needed to try and improve her hand to hand combat experience. All around the room, various weapons were placed on the walls. Batarangs, machetes, nun-chucks, everything you would need to defend yourself in a close encounter. Breathing rapidly, she spun on the spot and roundhouse kicked the mannequin straight in the face, too focused to notice the stranger enter the room.

"Impressive" he complimented, surprising her as she ceased her onslaught on the mannequin. Standing in the doorway was a man, somewhere in his twenties. He had closely cropped, brown hair and supporting himself on crutches.

"Umm...thanks. Who are you?" Charlotte asked, wary of this new acquaintance. Letting out a chuckle, the man headed over to her, joining her beside the mannequin.  
"Tim Drake, the current Robin" he introduced, causing Charlotte to remember what Bruce had said about him getting injured.

"Oh, right. It's great to meet you" she greeted in response, returning his grin.

"Likewise. How goes the training?" Tim asked, backing up to let her continue her onslaught. Maintaining her previous fighting stance, Charlotte began hitting the mannequin in the chest, letting out soft grunts as she made contact with it.

"Fine, I guess. I'm still having trouble with hand to hand though" she answered, backing away from the mannequin a couple of feet. Then, taking a run up, she leapt into the air, spun around and finished with a flying back-kick. Dropping back down, she took in deep breaths, looking over to Tim who returned a look of amazement.

"You seem to be doing okay" he commented, referring to her previous technique.

"That's just with kicking. I'm still finding it hard to punch and stuff" Charlotte explained, heading over to a bench on the side of the room and picking up her bottle of water. Removing the cap, she took multiple swigs, wiping her mouth on her arm as she finished. Taking a few second to think, an idea suddenly brewed in Tim's mind.

"You see that pole on the wall there?" he asked, nodding to the range of arm-length black poles placed alongside each other in holsters. Following his gaze, Charlotte nodded.

"Grab one and have a go with it" Tim instructed, giving her a look of reassurance. Confused, Charlotte headed over to the holsters, took down one of the poles and headed back over to the mannequin. Finding a small release on the side, she pressed it in and jumped in surprise as the pole extended into a full bo staff. Just like the one Tim used.

"I had the same problem when I first joined Batman. Take a few swings and see how it feels" he instructed, concerning Charlotte as she studied the weapon in her grasp. Glancing up from the staff, she locked her gaze on the mannequin and returned to her fighting stance.

"First, hold the staff in thirds, raise you right leg in the air and rest the staff on your left shoulder" Tim instructed, overseeing her training. Obeying, Charlotte took on the pose, struggling to keep her balance.

"Then, step out into a front stance and strike" Tim continued, emphasizing the word 'strike' for effect. Charlotte took in a deep breath, brought her left leg to the ground and, making sure she was holding the staff correctly, she reversed her grip and struck the mannequin straight in the head.

"Good. Now swap shoulders and strike again" Tim instructed again, impressed at how quickly his "student" was catching on. Retracting the staff, she flipped it over and rested the opposite end of the staff on her right shoulder, causing the tip of the previous end to hit the mannequin in the chin.

"Now swing the staff side to side. But make sure you keep it at eye level" Tim cautioned, watching with intrigue as Charlotte did the exact movements. Finishing the final blows, Charlotte grinned, retracting the staff and holding it at her side.

"Nice job. Felt better, didn't it?" Tim asked, crossing his arms smugly.  
"Yeah, way better than hand to hand. Is there anything else I could do with this?" Charlotte asked, gesturing to the weapon in her hand.

"This is only the beginning" he grinned.

**- Later, Arkham City, the Chamber of the Demon -**

Batman pushed open the ancient, metal door, wincing as it closed with rusty slam. Pausing, he took a few seconds to observe the familiar room. One which he never thought he would see again. Two stone columns lined the doorway, partially eroded over time. Entering the main chamber, his heavy footsteps echoing from the stone floor, he saw two rows of dead trees lining the walls. One of which was bending to the side, warped in an unbelievable manner. Higher up the wall, large, copper pipes housed a mysterious, fern-green liquid, revealed through glass viewing windows built into the sides. On the opposite side of the dull chamber, a second door was placed. Standing on either side was statues of an elderly man, dressed in old armor, wielding a katana. Batman recognized the man instantly. One of his old enemies. Ra's al Ghul. Doing his best for forget about his previous actions, Batman continued his strides, slowly approaching the opposite door with each step. Suddenly, a puff of smoke appeared in front of him, soon clearing away to reveal a female assailant. She wore a set of faded, blue armor, her shoulders exposed to reveal multiple warrior tattoos. In her hand, she held a sword just like the one the statue held, the blade shimmering in the low light. This was one of Talia al Ghul's guards.

"You are trespassing in Chamber of the Demon. Leave now!" she ordered, pointing her weapon at the Dark Knight threateningly. But Batman didn't give into extortions so easily.

"I'm not leaving" he replied bleakly, unaffected by the assassin's warning. Narrowing her eyes behind her cowl, the assassin watched as more smoke wisps materialized around the area Batman stood, each one dissipating to reveal even more guards, each wielding a sword of the same design.

"What do you want from us?" the leading assassin interrogated, knowing that with her comrades surrounding him, Batman wasn't going anywhere.

"I wish to speak with Talia" he answered, raising both hands to show that he did not mean any harm. Each of the surrounding assassins exchanged looks of concern.

"Talia al Ghul is dead" the leading assassin substantiated, not taking her eyes off the intruder for a second. Batman knew he had to make a point, otherwise he would never get the answers he craved.

"It's about Jason Todd" he inquired, causing the leading assassin's eyes to lose their glare. Placing her sword back in its sheath, she nodded to her followers, mentally instructing them to copy her actions. As they did so, Batman lowered his hands, content that he had got through to them.

"This way" she instructed, gesturing for Batman to follow. He did so, accompanying her over to the opposite door and pushing it open to reveal a familiar room. It was a large room, the floors coated with wood and plaster debris. The only light came from what sat on the other side of the room. Large bronze pylons lined each side of the device, electricity crackling as it traveled through the metal and penetrated the pit in the center. The currents caused the shimmering, orange pool to bubble as it silhouetted the figure standing in front of it.

"Why did you disturb me?" she asked in a foreign accent, not even turning around to face her guard.

"My apologies, mistress. You have a visitor" the guard answered, quickly glancing at Batman before looking straight back at the illuminated figure. Turning around, the figure made her way over to her "visitor", revealed by the light flooding through the open doorway. She wore a unique set of grey armor, different from the sort her guards wore. As for her hair, it has changed since her last encounter with Batman. It was now braided and hung down her back. Batman couldn't help but grin as he recognized the adversary. Stopping in front of Batman, Talia turned to her guard.

"Leave us" she ordered sternly, earning a nod from her subject as she left the room, closing the ageless door with a loud creak. Batman studied the face of his old lover, noticing that it had not aged a day since he last saw her.

"Hello Talia" he greeted, watching as a smile appeared on her face.

"I was expecting you to be a little more surprised, Bruce. After all, the last time you saw me, I was lying dead in your arms" Talia alleged, turning away and heading back over to the glowing pit.

"Your body was never found in the Theater. My only guess was that your guards had taken it" Batman explained, following her trail as she stopped at the edge of the orange pool.

"Indeed. I instructed them to do so if I ever perished in such a way that my body could be retrieved" she replied, looking back at him briefly before turning back to the pit.

"What about Ra's?" Batman asked, curious about the absence of Talia's father.

"After his betrayal, I thought it would be...healthier if he stayed dead" Talia disclosed. The sound of Batman's heavy footsteps ceased as he stood by her side.

"I guess the same could be said for Joker" he contrasted, his tone deepening as he uttered the name of his fallen enemy.

"I heard he didn't make it. I'm not sure whether to feel sad or relieved" Talia replied, looking into the pit with a sullen expression.

"That's not what I'm here about. I have some questions about Jason Todd" he revealed, causing Talia's heart to stop briefly. She had been praying that this day would never come. Sighing, she ran a hand down her face, turning away from Batman as she spoke.

"What do you wish to know?" she asked, her tone brimming with remorse.

"Everything. Why you brought him back, why he's been avoiding me and why you never told me" Batman requested heatedly, worrying Talia as she refused to face him. She sighed as she began her explanation.

"It all happened on the night he died, after my father broke out of Arkham Asylum. He had hired Joker to break out of Arkham and hold those workers at the plant hostage. That way, he could escape the prison without worrying about you catching him" she explained, instantly capturing Batman's interest as he crossed his arms.

"He planned all this? Did Ra's also pay him to kill Jason?" he assumed intensely, holding back his ire as Talia continued.

"Of course not. My father had done some terrible things, but he would never do something that heartless. Especially to you, his so-called future successor" Talia defended, turning around and jabbing a finger against the Dark Knight's armor.

"I'm sorry. What happened when Ra's found out about Jason's death?" Batman asked, gently pushing away Talia's hand as she cooled down.

"He was distraught. He didn't think Joker would go that far. He desperately wanted to make amends, so he sent some contacts to steal Jason's body from the morgue and replace it with a decoy" she continued, studying Batman as he held on to her every word.

"And he brought Jason back with the Lazarus Pit" he deduced, his arms still crossed as Talia nodded.

"Successfully. But...he was different..." she trailed off, concerning Batman as he uncrossed his arms.  
"Different?" he questioned.

"Yes. He was insane, screaming, begging for the pain to stop. It was horrible. Before we could sedate him, he overpowered our guards and escaped" Talia continued ominously.

"Didn't you try to find him?" Batman asked, narrowing his eyebrows angrily.

"My father thought he'd died. And he didn't want to cause any more damage. He thought it would be better if you didn't know" Talia upheld, causing Batman to turn away and run a hand down his face. This was all so sudden. Yet he was quickly taking in all the information he had just received.

"But he's alive, Talia. I know he is" he upheld, causing Talia to turn and face him.

"If he is, why would he not tell you?" she asked, pouting as Batman let out a sigh.

"I don't know, Talia. But I'm going to find out" he finished confidently, turning away and striding back over to the door, leaving Talia by the edge of the pit. However, before he could grasp the rusting handle, he turned back towards the orange pool once more.

"One more thing," he began, immediately catching her attention, "thank you for telling me" he conveyed, causing a smile to appear on his former lover's face.

"You're welcome" she replied, turning back towards the pit with crossed arms. Batman reached out for the handle and pushed open the door, slamming it behind him once more and leaving Talia in the dark, her only source of light being the shimmering orange pool in front of her.

**- Arkham City, Industrial District -**

Pulling the trigger on the Bat-Claw, Batman felt himself being propelled through the air, finally gripping the edge of one of the large, factory chimneys and pulling himself up. Standing up on the grated open, Batman had an amazing view of the prison. From the GCR broadcast tower to the Gotham Casino. Not really breathtaking, but still pretty spectacular. Batman did not see this as a sightseeing position, but more like a vantage point. He scanned the rooftops, hoping to see the target he was looking for. A few minutes passed. Still no signs of movement on the rooftops. Sighing, Batman reached up to the headpiece in his cowl and pressed the button.

"Activate Bat-Wing automatic homing device" he commanded, waiting impatiently as the sound of static filled his ears.

"_Homing device activated. Bat-Wing homing in on signal coordinates_" the automated voice responded bleakly. Batman let go of the headpiece, his view returning to the rooftops.

He paused.

He saw something.

Reaching for his cowl again, he activated Detective mode and zoomed in on a rooftop opposite the Gotham Casino. He was right. The skeletal figure of a man had leapt across to rooftop and had begun making his way across to the opposite side. Deactivating Detective mode, Batman reached for the headpiece button once more and pressed it in.

"Bat-Wing, deactivate homing device. Return to Bat-Cave" he commanded, backing away from the edge of the chimney to prepare for a running start.

"_Homing device deactivated. Bat-Wing en route to the Bat-Cave_" the voice answered again. Releasing the button, Batmanran forwards and leapt off the top of the chimney, his cape spreading outwards and allowing him to glide across the river between him and the Amusement Mile. Approaching the ground, he landed with a forward roll, just in time to see the figure scale down the side of the building and land a few feet away from him on the destroyed road. However, as the figure landed on the asphalt surface, he turned around, freezing as he noticed the figure standing across from him.

"_Crap_" he thought before taking off in a sprint, Batman following him suite. Reaching the edge of the road, the figure leapt across to a building connected to the GCR tower, grabbed the edge and pulled himself up. Batman mirrored his actions and pulled himself up after him, knowing that he could not let his target escape. This chase continued over various rooftops, both figures using parkour as an advantage. Until finally, they both leapt across to the helipad in front of the 'Krank Co. Toys' building, the green, flickering neon sign illuminating the ground. As they ran, Batman saw a barrel with the flammable logo imprinted on the side. Batman knew this was his only chance to stop the figure. Reaching for his belt, he grabbed Remote Electrical Charge gadget, aimed it at the barrel and pulled the trigger. The small, electrical ball flew forward and penetrated the metal of the barrel, igniting the flammable liquid inside and causing it to explode. The force of the explosion caused the figure to fly backwards, landing on the ground at Batman's feet. Groaning, the figure pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, hearing the sound of footsteps as Batman approached him. Taking his chance, the figure rolled over and kicked Batman straight in the face. Lifting his other leg, he did it a second time, causing the Dark Knight to stumble back. Quickly, the figure stood back up, grabbing a gun from one of his holsters and aiming it at his target. In the light of the sign, Batman saw a large scorch mark the explosion had left on the figure's crimson helmet.

"What the hell do you want?" Red Hood ordered, his gun still aimed at Batman's face.

"Give up the act. I know who you are" he replied, surprisingly calmly. Behind the tinted visor, Red Hood's eyes widened, but narrowed in anger soon afterward. With his free hand, he reached for his helmet and pulled it off his head, allowing it to hit the ground with a small thud. Seeing the revealed face of Red Hood, Batman's blood ran cold. He still could not believe what he was seeing. He held back all the worry and confusion as he opened his mouth. Saying two little words he thought he would never say again.

"Hello, Jason"


	11. Savin' Me

**A/N: I'm back! Please comment.**

On a rooftop in Arkham City, illuminated by a green neon sign, two figures stood opposite each other. One was dressed in black body armor, a matching cape blowing behind him in the cold wind, his face veiled by a mask. His opponent however wore different attire. He wore a pair of black combat boots. Above them was a pair of jeans, followed by a dirty, grey t-shirt with a black, leather jacket overlapping it. By his feet was a scorched, red motorcycle helmet, remaining still as an awkward silence filled the air between him and the man in body armor. But more importantly, the man in the biker jacket was wielding a pistol, aiming it straight at his target's face. Batman had not dared to speak, fearing of how his former ward would retaliate. Luckily for him, Jason spoke first.

"How did you figure it out, Bruce?" he asked, his finger flexing around the trigger as he kept the barrel raised.

"A friend tipped me off" Batman answered, becoming guarded as Jason narrowed his eyebrows.

"_Azrael. That tattling son of a bitch" _Jason thought as he kept his gaze focused on Batman, just in case he tried anything.

"Did you go and see Talia? Did she tell you how I went nuts and escaped?" he questioned, his tone a combination of anger and query. Batman tried to take a step forward, but Jason raised the barrel of the pistol slightly, giving him no choice but to stay put.

"Yes. What happened after you got out of there?" Batman asked in return, trying not to sound fearful. Even though he was holding back all his apprehension. Jason let out a small chuckle.

"What else could I do? I ran like a bat out of hell. I didn't stop. After that, I went around the city and realized what had happened to me. I realized what Joker had done" he explained, causing Batman to run a hand down his face. A single question that he had wanted to say since he had heard of his resurrection.

"Why, Jason? Why didn't you tell me?" Batman asked. Hearing this, a look of sadness appeared on Jason's face, his pistol lowering about an inch as he took in that question.

"Because...I was angry, Bruce" he answered, a hint anger returning to face as he looked at his past mentor. Batman felt an ache in his heart as he heard this, feeling an entire river of guilt washing over him.

"Jason, I tried to save you. I couldn't-

"That's not what I'm angry about!" Jason cut off abruptly, causing Batman's eyes to widen. Taking in deep breaths, Jason calmed himself down and continued.

"Bruce, I forgave you for not saving me. I forgave you a long time ago" he prolonged, confusing Batman as he listened to Jason's answer.

"Then why are you still mad?" he questioned, his voice beginning to take on a more hostile trait. Jason took a second to look down at the ground, sighing as he forced the answer out of his mouth.

"Because...you couldn't save me...but you almost died trying to save HIM" he responded, his eyebrows furrowing, forming into a glare. Batman lowered his head in shame. How could he have been so blind? He was supposedly the world's greatest detective and he had been foolish enough to miss it.

"You mean Joker..." Batman sighed, his gaze still fixed on the ground.

"No, I mean Calendar Man. Of course I mean Joker, damn it!" Jason retorted, causing Batman to look up at him, his eyebrows narrowed just like Jason's.

"I heard the rumors, Bruce. I knew he was dying. That titan crap was killing him from the inside out. But I heard what you did, how you almost died trying to stop it from happening" he continued angrily, aiming the pistol away from Batman's face for a second to make a hand gesture.

"Jason, you don't understand. I couldn't let him die" he vouched, pointlessly trying to reason with Jason as he continued his vocal onslaught.

"No, Bruce. I understand perfectly. It's because you couldn't break your stupid little code just once. Not for all the people he's killed, all the families he's crushed. Bruce, if it wasn't for him, Barbara would still be able to walk" Jason brought up, disheartening Batman even further as he tried to cut in.

"Jason-"

"And to top it all off, he fucking killed me. He...he took me away from you" Jason remembered, choking up as he finished that last sentence.

"And after that, I thought I'd be the last person you'd let him hurt. That's why I became Red Hood, to do what you'd never be able to; kill the ones who deserve to die" Jason revealed, lowering his gun as he spoke.

"I know, but-" he began, right before Jason raised his gun again.

"I'm sorry, Bruce. But I'm not putting this gun down until I get an answer. He was dying. Why couldn't just let him bite the dust?" he asked, expecting Batman to give him a speech about killing and how it was not the right thing to do like he was a little kid.

He had no idea how wrong he was.

"Because it'd be too easy" Batman answered solemnly, his face emotionless and empty. Hearing this, Jason froze in surprise, lowering his pistol as Batman continued.

"Did you really think your death didn't affect me? You're wrong. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat and all I could think about was wringing Joker's scrawny neck the next time I saw him. But I knew I couldn't. Because if I did, if I ever killed a single person, I'd never be able to stop" he finished, hoping he had got through to Jason as his face lost its anger, his eyes lowering to the ground as he placed his pistol back in its holster.

"But Joker's gone now," Batman continued, taking a few steps towards Jason, "and there's no way for him to come back"

Jason stayed silent, finally looking up at Batman as he stood in front of him.

"You can come back with me. We can be a family again, Jason" he finished, a small, hopeful smile appearing on his revealed mouth as he placed a hand on Jason's shoulder. Glancing at the hand, Jason considered this offer. He could see Barbara again. He could meet the guy who had replaced him and teach him a few things. Everything could be like it was before. Jason redirected his gaze from Batman's hand, looking at his shrouded face in deep contemplation.

If only he had said yes.

Sighing, Jason reached up and removed Batman's hand from his shoulder, a confused expression appearing on his face as Jason did so.

"I'm sorry, Bruce. It's too late" he refused, reaching down to pick up his helmet.

"Five years too late" he finished as he walked away, the sound of thunder overhead emphasizing the severity of his decision. Batman could only watch as he placed his helmet back on and leap across to the opposite rooftop, disappearing from sight as he dropped down over the other side. As the rain started to pour, a complex feeling on remorse washed over Batman. A feeling he had not felt for years. The emotion he felt when Jason had first died.

Because he knew...

...deep down...

...he had just lost him a second time.

He reached up to the headpiece in his cowl a pressed in the button.

"Activate Bat-Wing automatic homing device" he commanded, repeating the order he had made not too long ago.

"_Homing device activated. Bat-Wing homing in on signal coordinates_" the same, cybernetic voice answered again, emotionless and impassive. Batman sighed, still looking in the direction Jason had headed. Silently hoping that he would come back any second and take up his offer.

But he never did.

Batman just stood in silence, the distant sound of the Bat-Wing's engine filling the air as the rain began to pour down on him.

Jason slammed the door shut behind him as he entered his hideout, a muffled crash of thunder ringing from outside the window. Turning, Jason observed the empty room, the duffel bag full of weapons now resting beside his mattress. There was still a hole in the wall from where he had retrieved his flamethrower, which was now resting opposite the duffel bag along with his pistols. Beside the door, the splintered remains of the large weapon crate lay on the floor, a result of Jason's anger when Two-Face's men had first trashed his hideout. Jason sighed and headed over to the sink, pulling off his helmet and dropping it to the ground. Turning on the faucet, he scooped up some water in his hands and splashed it over his face, turning it off subsequently and taking in deep breaths. He thought about what had Bruce had said. About how he had offered to take him back. And it pissed him off. How could he simply ask him to rejoin the family? After all that he did to try and save Joker, why should he? Jason thought that he would be the last person Batman would let Joker kill. If it had been Batman that died that night, if he had been the one to fall for Joker's ploy, Jason knew he would have done nothing but search the planet for that pathetic pile of evil, death worshipping crap and send him off to hell.

SMASH!

Jason froze, slowly raising his head to the mirror again. He retracted his fist from the shattered glass, his mouth opening in fear at the damage he had just caused. He had not even felt himself moving, as if he had not been control of his own body. He stared at his now fragmented reflection in the mirror, a flash of lightning briefly blinding him as it shone through the window. He suddenly had an epiphany, a sudden realization that had gone unnoticed for a while now.

What if the Lazarus pit had done more than change him physically?

This was not like him. He had been alone ever since getting resurrected. But the second Batman offered him his friendship again, he shoved it back in his face. He backed away from the mirror until making contact with the cracked window, slowly sliding down to the floor with a soft thud as he held his head in his hands. He had made the worst mistake of his life. And now he was all alone.

...

...

...

Or was he?

His eyes widened and he lowered his hands. There was still one person. And she was the only friend he could go to for guidance right now. Standing back up, he headed over to his duffel bag and starting sifting through its contents. Until finally, he retrieved the weapon he had been searching for. A SPAS-12 combat shotgun. Grabbing some rounds out of the bag, he loaded the weapon, placed a few extra ones in his pocket and headed back over to the door. As he reached for the handle, he paused, forgetting one vital element of his alter-ego. Turning around, he picked up his scorched helmet and headed back over to the door, slamming it in the same fashion as when he had entered.

**- Later, Industrial District -**

The sound of frantic footsteps echoed off the alley walls as the woman dressed in red and black dashed down it, a second burlap sack flung over her shoulder. Unlike her last outfit, she had chosen something a bit more casual. Instead of a Steampunk-esque ensemble, she wore a red and black hoodie with jester bells protruding from the hood. On her face, she wore a small black mask covering the area around her eyes. She also wore a pair of black jeans with red, leather boots. Taking in deep breaths, she checked the surrounding area, making sure she had not been followed. She ceased her run, dropping the sack to the ground and placing her hands on her knees as she inhaled deeply, the rain drenching her hood.

Then it happened again.

Her heartbeat filled her ears.

She looked down at her hand, only to see it blur as she moved it left and right.

The edges of her vision became clouded.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no, no" she begged, glancing around worriedly as a familiar cackle filled her ears. Wasting no time, she grabbed the sack, swung it over her shoulder and attempted to run. But she was not quick enough. Freezing in her tracks and dropping the sack, she stared at the figure a few feet away from her. His arms crossed and a psychotic grin plastered on his chalk white face.

"Going somewhere, Harls?" he asked mockingly, raising an eyebrow. Harley was petrified. She could not speak. She could not move. All she could do was watch as the hallucination of her deceased "boyfriend" arrogantly approached her.

"Please. Just leave me alone" she beseeched as tears started to surface, quickly concealed by the falling rain.

"Really, Harley? You want to leave AGAIN?" Joker asked, sniggering as he contrarily started circling her in the rain. Harley remained frozen in place, not even turning to look at him as he orbited her.

"What...what are you talkin' about?" she asked nervously, putting on a brave face for the illusion.

"Don't you remember what happened last time? When you left me defenseless in the Theater? When you left me to die?" he mocked darkly, referencing back to that horrible night. Harley's heart stopped, her blood ran cold and she painstakingly tried to hold back tears.

"That wasn't my fault. I-I didn't know" she defended, ignored as the phantasmal clown let out another bone chilling cackle.

"I made better excuses for slaughtering an entire hospital ward. Admit it, Harley. You left me to die that night!" he ordered, causing Harley to cover her ears and clamp her eyes shut.

"No! Stop it! Please don't hurt me!" she begged, refusing to open her eyes for even a second. However, as Joker's laugh became quieter and more demonic, Harley opened her eyes a crack and peeked out as she watched Joker walk away.

"I'd worry more about those guys" he finished, his laugh filling her ears once more as he simply faded away, leaving Harley alone on the empty road. Or so she thought. Hearing footsteps, she slowly turned around, the sight of two silhouettes getting closer catching her eye. As they got closer, Harley could easily recognize the filthy, black uniforms they were wearing. Stitched into the upper sleeves was a logo; a white T with three black lines diagonally overlapping it. These were former TYGER guards. Due to their involvement in Hugo Strange's criminal activities all those months ago, they had been disbanded and, ironically, thrown in the prison they were once ordered to protect. Since then, they had mostly scattered among the cities territories, taking up sides with either Penguin or Two-Face. None had gone with Harley due to the death of Joker; they figured she would have been a lost cause within a few weeks. As the two former guards approached her, black berets pulled down over their foreheads, Harley picked up the sack and quickly swung it over her shoulder, carefully backing away as their eyes narrowed.  
"What do you want?" she asked cautiously, eyeing them both as they continued their advance.

"We have a little message from Two-Face and Penguin" one of them answered. Harley could not tell which one; they both had cowls pulled up over their mouths.

"What did they say?" she asked, gasping as she backed up into something solid. Feeling a hand clamp down on her shoulder, she accidently dropped the sack as she was forced around, coming face to face with a third TYGER guard.

"You shouldn't have denied their offer" he answered with a grin, crossing his arms complacently as the other two guards grabbed Harley by her shoulders. As a scream erupted from her mouth, one of them clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling her pleas as tears began to roll down her cheeks. They began dragging her out of the road and over to an alleyway, her muffled cries echoing. As they shoved her down on her knees, Harley started to thrash around, trying to squirm out of their grasp.

"QUIET!" the main guard ordered, causing her to cease her struggle, mascara now running down her cheeks as her cries were replaced with muffled sobs. Chuckling, the main guard reached for his belt and retrieved a hunting knife, the blade already stained crimson by its former victims. Seeing the blade, Harley let out another sob, her pleas muffled behind the guard's hand.

"Don't give me that look, Quinn. If it makes you feel any better, Two-Face and Penguin asked us to go easy on you" he revealed, causing Harley to look up at him hopefully, the rain now soaking through her hood.

"Too bad they're not here" he finished sinisterly, earning a couple of chuckles from his comrades. Hearing this, Harley lost her hope once more, more tears staining her cheeks as the guard brought the knife closer to her face. Suddenly, without warning, a loud barrage filled the air, causing Harley's ears to ring as one of the guards dropped to the ground behind her. Before anyone could react, a second gunshot rang out, just before the other guard holding Harley fell forward, a large, bloody wound now revealed through the back of his uniform. Craning her neck around, Harley gazed in amazement at what she saw. Red Hood stood sat the end of the alley, wielding a shotgun in his hands. Looking up at the final guard, he pumped the gun, preparing another round to be fired.

"Let her go" he ordered, raising the barrel and aiming it at the guard. But he was not going to give up easily. Before Red Hood could stop him, the guard grabbed Harley in a headlock and held his knife to her throat.

"Drop your weapon or I'll do it" he retorted menacingly, his eyes narrowing above his cowl. Red Hood froze, glancing at Harley as a single tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the ground, blending in with the already damp ground. Slowly, Red Hood knelt down and started lowering his weapon to the ground. However, just before it hit the ground, he pulled the trigger, shooting the guard straight in the foot. Crying out, the guard lost his grip on his knife and Harley, allowing her to back away against the alley wall. Red Hood charged at the guard, ready to give him a beat down. Unfortunately, he forgot the fact that the guard had the knowledge of intense combat training. More advanced than Jason's had ever been. As Red Hood went for a punch, the guard simply blocked it and punched him in the chest. As he felt the air get knocked out of his lungs, Red Hood doubled over, allowing the guard to pull off his motorcycle helmet and throw it aside. Grabbing him by his average length, brown hair, the guard pulled his head back up to eye level and hit him straight in the nose. As he jolted backwards, the guard delivered the final blow to the face, causing Jason to fall backwards, hitting the ground hard. Grinning in triumph, the guard did his best to kneel down with his wounded foot and picked his knife back up. Turning back to Harley, he raised the knife, the blade now soaked in rain water and glinting in the low light.

"Where were we?" he asked perversely, slowly limping over to her. Suddenly, the guard a large force crash into his side and push him to the ground. Looking up, he saw Jason kneeling down on top of him, his helmet in one hand. Bringing the helmet up above his head, Jason quickly brought it down, hitting the guard in the face. As the guard cried out, Jason repeated his action, finally drawing blood as a small trickle poured down the guard's lips. Harley covered her eyes as Jason mercilessly bashed the guard's head in, his screams mixed in with the sounds of bones being broken. With each sickening crack, Harley flinched, squeezing her eyes shut tighter with every passing second. Until finally, the sounds ceased, replaced with sharp breaths and followed by slow footsteps. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw two boots standing in front of her. Following the boots upward, she saw the face of a man, maybe in his thirties, with drenched brown hair sticking to his forehead. In his hand, he held a red helmet, now stained with a darker shade of carmine. As his chest rose and lowered with each breath, he held out his free hand, allowing her to take hold of it and pulling her to her feet. Jason picked up his gun and followed her out of the alley, watching as she picked her sack back up. Taking hold of his hand again, Harley led him through the storm towards the steel mill, the rain continuing to pour down on the corpses of the former guards.

**A/N: The title of this chapter is focused on the song by Nickelback. Check it out on YouTube.**

**Thanks for reading. More coming soon. Leave a comment.**


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